Lilav Eli-Tolin Muhamed

 

SHEHBA - Women of Afrin, who were forcibly displaced from Afrin to Shehba region due to the attacks, stated that they now lose their children due to diseases after the carnage. “Erdoğan is the only responsible for our situation. Erdoğan will answer to the Kurdish mothers,” said the women.

 

The people of Afrin, who were forced to migrate to Shehba region after Turkish army and Free Syrian Army (FSA) entered the Afrin city center on March 18, have lived in hard conditions in the camps. The people of Afrin, who stay in “Berxwedan” and “Serdem” camps built in Shehba region for them, have fought against many epidemic diseases due to bad weather conditions. The people haven’t lost their hope despite these difficult conditions and they believe they will return to their lands one day.

 

‘Our love for our lands makes us strong’

 

Fidan Muhammed, one of women living with their families in the camps, said, “Erdoğan caused us to leave our homes and our children to get sick. The weather of Afrin was different. Our children are having difficulty in this weather and becoming sick. Erdoğan killed our children in Afrin and now we are losing our children because of him. Erdoğan will answer to our children. Erdoğan is the only responsible for our situation. Our reason to be strong and to live under these conditions today is our faith in our cause and our love for our lands.”

 

Repeating that they will resist despite all difficulties, Fidan said, “Erdoğan took all members of the gangs and barbarically attacked our lands under the name of Islam. The attackers saw the great resistance and will of the Kurdish people. The people of Afrin resisted for 58 days and they will resist until they retake their lands.”

 

‘Erdoğan will answer to the Kurdish mothers’

 

Fatma Osman, another woman living in the camp, pointed out the difficulties they have faced. Emphasizing that they will not leave their lands so easily, Fatma said their children had difficulties to live under the burning sun in Shehba and for this reason they got sick. “I have a four-month-old child. He got sick due to hot weather. Whenever I look at him, I curse Erdoğan. Erdoğan is responsible for our situation now. Erdoğan will answer to the Kurdish mothers,” said Fatma and she noted that she trust the fighters of the YPG and YPJ; “Our one and only hope is the fighters of the YPG and YPJ. The YPG and YPJ fighters protected their people with historic resistance as usual. We aren’t afraid of anyone as long as we have our fighters and we will return to Afrin.”

 

Nazliye Cafer stated that they believe in returning to Afrin as a result of their struggle. Nazliye said, “I call on everyone; keeping silent against the land invasion means you are a party to this invasion. Where are the human rights defenders and organizations? Why does everyone keep silent for the Kurdish people? As the Kurdish women, we say we will not give our lands to anyone. We didn’t attack anyone's lands. They are invading our lands. We resisted and we will resist to the end.”