Ezîza Geraf: They occupied and destroyed our 40-year efforts
“They occupied and destroyed our 40-year efforts,” said Ezîza Geraf, who had to leave her village due to the attacks of the Turkish state and ISIS.
SORGUL ŞÊXO
Hasakah- The Turkish state occupied Serêkaniyê (Ras al-Ayn) and the villages of Til Temir (Tall Tamer) and Zigran village in October 2019, forcibly displacing thousands. The village of Menax was one of Til Temir’s villages occupied by the Turkish state. The Turkish forces built a military base on a hill of the village to control the region. The Turkish forces sometimes target civilian vehicles and open fire on farmers from the military base.
‘We had to leave our village without taking anything’
50-year-old Ezîza Geraf is one of the displaced villagers from the village of Menax. She has been living in a tent with her children in the village of Til Hemam since 2019. She had nine children, including two with disabilities; however, she lost her two children. Speaking about how they left their village, she said:
“We were having lunch at home when we heard gunshots. We left everything behind us and ran out. We had to leave our home and village without taking anything. Now, we live in the village of Til Hemam.”
‘They destroyed our 40-year efforts’
Ezîza Geraf also talked about how the Turkish forces and Turkish-backed factions looted their village. “They stole everything, including barley, hay, diesel fuel and wheat. Now, we have to live in tents instead of our houses. They forced us to leave our house and village. They occupied our village and destroyed our 40-year efforts.”
Her pregnant daughter died because of ISIS
Ezîza Geraf’s pregnant daughter died because ISIS members prevented her from going to the hospital. “It was a winter day in 2014. My daughter was pregnant and her labor began; however, ISIS members did not allow my daughter to go to a hospital in Hasakah. My daughter lost a lot of blood and died. My daughter is not with us today because of ISIS. This is one of the crimes committed by ISIS. If I could, I would hold them accountable.”
‘The Turkish state and ISIS must be held accountable’
Ezîza Geraf called on the international community to launch an investigation into the crimes committed by ISIS and the Turkish state. “The Turkish state and ISIS must be prosecuted for their crimes. We want to return to our village, our destroyed house. We want to spend our last days in our village. The Turkish state has turned our peaceful and safe village into a military base. It attacks the village of Til Temir from our village. The Turkish state must leave our village.”