Residents of Syria’s Hasakah fear recurrence of Turkish strikes

 


Houses damaged by Turkish drone strikes in the town of Derbasiyah in Hasakah Governorate.

Jan 3, 2024. Hellas. Posted by  Balkan Periscope - Hellas

Hevi al-Malla checks her house in the town of Derbasiyah in Hasakah Governorate, northeastern Syria, after it was subjected to Turkish bombardment days ago and sustained significant damage.

Al-Malla said, “We were suddenly targeted by strikes about a week ago at around 5:30 PM. My father, brother, his children, and I were inside the house.”

“We experienced moments of a terrifying panic,” she added.

Fortunately, al-Malla’s family survived the bombardment which was unclear whether it was by a drone or artillery shell.

“None of us were injured, but the material damage was significant. The ceilings of two rooms in our house collapsed, the glass of my father’s car shattered, and the household furniture was also damaged,” al-Malla added.

Intense attacks

On Dec. 23, the Turkish forces launched an intense bombardment on various areas in northeastern Syria, causing a significant damage to infrastructure and civilians’ properties.

Turkey targeted 121 sites with a total of 179 strikes during its three-day-long campaign in different areas of northern and northeastern Syria. During this period, 11 individuals lost their lives, including two women, and 30 others were injured, according to the Monitoring and Documentation Department of North Press.

Since the beginning of 2023, the Department has recorded 930 Turkish attacks on the region, targeting 711 residential areas, 53 infrastructure sites, 52 military posts of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), 65 sites of the Syrian government forces, 21 farmlands, 24 industrial facilities, and four health centers.

The recent round of attacks followed similar bombardment  launched in October 2023 on areas held by the SDF, resulting in a significant damage to gas and oil facilities.

Al-Malla’s family, after the incident, moved to live with one of their relatives in the same town. However, they have recently begun a repair work in preparation to go back home but there are still concerns among them.

“We only have this house and our young children are afraid. Currently, we live in terror, and the sound of the shell still echoes in our ears,” al-Malla said.

The bombardment conducted by Turkish forces in the region has frequently triggered widespread condemnation, fueling public anger due to the resulting damage to infrastructure and the loss of civilian lives and injuries.

Mazloum Abdi, Commander in Chief of the SDF, has called on the international community to deter Turkish attacks to prevent the outbreak of a major war.

Fear persists

Following the attacks along the border strip, life in the border town of Derbasiyah, like other areas in northeastern Syria, has returned to normal. However, residents remain cautious and fearful, dreading further Turkish bombardment.

In the midst of Derbasiyah, Abdulhakim Bakr started to repair his mud-built house after a Turkish shell created a large hole in its roof, causing a significant damage to its furnishings. As a result, he and his family have currently settled with relatives in the same town.

In one corner of the house, Bakr gathered fragments of the shell to find Turkish writings on one of them.

While workers were busy in maintenance work, Bakr recalled the moments of the shelling that occurred on Dec. 26, 2023. “We were more than 10 people in the house at 7 PM when a beam of light appeared, followed by a loud sound. The shell hit the house, filling it with dust and smoke.”

At that moment, Bakr thought that all his family members had lost their lives, given the fact that the attack had directly hit the house. “I thank God that no one of my family was harmed, even though my little child and I were inside the room where the shell landed.”

The 40-year-old man estimated his losses at around $5,000. He wondered, “As a civilian, who will compensate me for my losses and how could we continue to live in this state of horror?”

As Bakr rushes in repairing his house before any rainfall, he fears for his family members due to the potential recurrence of Turkish strikes. “My children are scared and unwilling to accept the idea of returning home due to the state of terror they experienced.”

 

Northpress

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