‘I will resist so that my children will live in their hometown’

The story of Fatima El-Elî is one of the stories of displaced people of Afrin and Dêrik. She says she will resist so that her children will live in their hometown.

SORGUL ŞÊXO

Hasakah- The aim of the occupation and genocidal policies is to take control of areas but their main aim is to assimilate the people, taking them away from their culture, language and identity. The people living in North and East Syria resist the Turkish attacks to protect their region, culture, language and identity.

Fatima El-Elî is a woman from Serêkaniyê. She had to leave her village when ISIS attacked it. After the liberation of Serêkaniyê by the YPJ/YPG, she returned to her village; however, she had to leave her village again four years ago when the Turkish state occupied the city. She now lives in the Til Temir town of Hasakah with her children.

‘We will resist’

Indicating that they had to leave their village after the Turkish state occupied Serêkaniye, she said, “We are 10 people living in a house with a room. This room is our bathroom, our kitchen and our bedroom. The Turkish state attacked and displaced us without any reason. The Turkish army occupied Serêkaniyê and forcibly displaced us. Now, it tries to attack Til Temir. But the Turkish state should know very well that we will not leave here. We will resist.”

‘YPJ-YPG liberated our hometown’

Fatima El-Elî was forced to leave her village twice. “When ISIS attacked Serêkaniyê in 2014, we were forced to leave our hometown. At that time, the fighters of the Women's Defense Units (YPJ) and the People's Defense Units (YPG) fought ISIS and liberated our village,” she told us.

After the liberation of her village, she returned to her village; however, she had to leave her village again four years ago due to the attacks of the Turkish state.

‘We will strengthen our resistance’

Speaking about the ongoing Turkish attacks on the region, she said, “The Turkish forces attack civilians, children and women. Many children have been left orphaned due to the Turkish attacks. The Turkish state attacks our sisters and brothers. We were forced to leave Serêkaniyê but we will not leave Til Temir. We will definitely make our voice heard to the world one day. The Turkish state attacks us and we will defend ourselves against its attacks. We will never allow our children to face what we have faced. We will strengthen our resistance. I will resist so that my children will live in their hometown.”