HESNA MIHEEMD

Shahba- In an interview with NuJINHA, Hemîda Omer Mihemed from the Omara village of Afrin’s Shera district, said that Shara was famous for its castles, rivers, dams and history before being occupied by the Turkish state and Turkish-backed factions. “Shara is an ancient city famous for its history. Nabi Hori Castle was built in the district around 1500 BC. There are dozens of towers and churches dating back to the Roman era and the Mitanni era and caves. In the district, there is also a bridge built during the Roman era."

Main source of living is agriculture

Indicating that the main source of living in the district was agriculture, Hemîda Omer Mihemed said, “Agriculture was the main source of living in the district. The economy of the district was mostly based on agriculture, especially walnut, almond and grape leaves. It has fertile soil. The residents also made a living from husbandry and beekeeping. Each family had at least 40 bee hives. It was a district famous for its honey.”

They preserve their culture

According to Hemîda Omer Mihemed, the residents of the district preserved their culture by wearing their traditional clothes and cooking their local dishes. “When someone died in the district, people mourned for seven days and stood in solidarity with the people who lost their relatives. People used to come to the district to visit Nabi Hori Castle and the Meydankê Lake. Not only the people of Afrin but also the people from different regions used to come to the district to visit historical sites and the lake.”

‘The district was plundered’

Noting that the Turkish state has been changing the demographic structure of Afrin since it occupied Afrin, Hemîda Omer Mihemed said, “Turkish-backed factions plundered the Nabi Hori Castle and stole historical artifacts in the castle. They also razed dozens of historical sites to the ground. Their aim is to revive the Ottoman Empire and build places according to their customs.”