Siltana Hemdî, a member of the Afrin Justice Council, spoke to ANF about the Turkish state’s seizures and violations targeting the lands, homes, and property of the people of Afrin.
Recalling that the Turkish state occupied Afrin in 2018 through its proxy militias, forcing hundreds of thousands of citizens to flee, Siltana Hemdî said that since that day the people of the region have held onto the hope that “one day they will return to Afrin.”
Hemdî added: “Killing, kidnapping, looting, and the seizure of homes and property against the people of Afrin has continued without interruption and still continues. After the first invasion attack on the Afrin region, the people moved to Shehba and the Autonomous Administration areas.
Afrin territory has been plundered
Hemdî continued: “We want a safe return now. Many families have returned to Afrin, but they live in fear. In Afrin, people’s property is being seized, and the victims cannot seek justice. The occupiers and their militias not only commit crimes against people, they also cut down and burn Afrin’s trees and natural environment, and they impose demographic change. All of this is happening before the eyes of the world, yet no one reacts. These attacks on nature are also an ecological massacre. The so-called human-rights-defending states show no reaction because of their own interests. Everyone must now take a stance against the occupying Turkish state.”
Attempt to eliminate Afrin’s history
Noting that thousands of families live in tents and makeshift shelters under cold and freezing weather conditions, Siltana Hemdî said: “The Afrin issue must now be resolved. They say ‘Everyone should return to Afrin.’ We want a safe return. Right now a return is not possible, because as long as the militias are there, the people cannot return to their lands and homes. The people still face the reality of being killed and tortured. They cannot return to their homes and property, and no one can even speak about it. Is a return possible under these conditions? We want a safe return. Right now olive trees are being stolen, factories belonging to the people of Afrin are being looted, and they are selling people’s houses to each other. This land is ours, not theirs. They have also destroyed Afrin’s history and demolished historical sites.
We want a return in which we open our own path. We want to return with our children and have them protect us; there is no need for any foreign army to protect Afrin. We want to protect our land and our city together with our children. We believe that a safe return will take place soon.”