Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), backed by the Turkish state, carried out attacks starting from Aleppo, the epicenter of the Syrian war. They aimed to seize regions such as Shehba, Tel Rifaat, Hama, Homs, and Latakia, and launched operations targeting Damascus to eventually overthrow the Assad regime.

Despite the strategy of “winning wars without fighting” employed by HTS and Turkey-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) militias, neither the Syrian regime nor Iran put up any resistance, retreating from settlements in the region. Particularly, in the areas of Shehba and Tel Rifaat, journalists who bore witness to the attacks and the resistance by people played an undeniable role in documenting the war.

Journalist Rûken Afrin, who covered the conflict as a war correspondent in the Tel Rifaat region, talked to ANF about both the war and the resistance.

"The attacks never stopped"

Rûken Afrin spoke about Turkey's occupation attacks on Afrin in 2018, and then on the most recent assaults, and said: "In 2018, during the Turkish state’s occupation attacks on Afrin, the people suffered a horrific massacre. After 58 days of resistance, civilians were forced to migrate to Shehba. However, this migration did not stop Turkey's attacks. Numerous assaults on innocent civilians actually turned into real massacres. 

Many people, including women, the elderly, and children, lost their lives. Amid these ongoing attacks by Turkey, the people also faced huge challenges under the Syrian regime’s blockade. The district of Tel Rifaat holds strategic significance. Following the migration of civilians to Shehba, Turkey began planning to occupy this region; their attacks and occupation plans never ceased. Tel Rifaat was particularly interesting due to its geostrategic importance. It offered a livable area where people could sustain their livelihoods and included a military airbase as well as the M5 highway. These features made Tel Rifaat a constant target."

"The regime didn’t fight; Shehba was surrounded"

Journalist Afrin continued: "During the HTS-led attacks that began on November 27 in western Aleppo, no clashes occurred; instead, there was a total surrender. The Syrian regime did not resist the attacks and abandoned its positions one by one, retreating without looking back. This led to Shehba being surrounded from all sides. Subsequently, heavy attacks began on six villages in the Sherawa region, which had already been frequent targets of militia assaults. During these latest attacks, the Afrin Liberation Forces (HRE) demonstrated significant resistance for three days. 

These six villages were located close to Nubul, Zehra, and the Samaan Castle (west of Aleppo), with only about 100 meters between each village. As a result, capturing one village meant easy access to the next. Since these villages were surrounded by both HTS and the Turkish occupying forces, they were under constant attack and faced attempts to encircle them."

"Attacks launched from three separate fronts"

Journalist Afrin continued: "Simultaneously, ground attacks by Turkish-backed militia forces intensified along the Sheikh Isa, Hirbil, and Ayn Daqneh village lines. Assaults were also carried out from the villages of Ehdas and Sheikh Najjar (the industrial zone), resulting in brutal attacks launched from three separate fronts. This further escalated tensions in the region, posing a significant threat to the local population. 

The Afrin people's resistance in Shehba represents a key chapter in history. Adopting the principles of the Revolutionary People’s War, the resistance was not prompted solely by the recent attacks but had been ongoing since the occupation of Afrin. Alongside the heavy attacks, Turkey’s smear campaigns also came into play. False reports suggested that the people of Tel Rifaat had fled and were gripped by fear and panic. 

However, I followed events closely and observed that until a withdrawal decision was made, the people continued their resistance. They did not abandon their homes, neighborhoods, or streets. Standing alongside their fighters, the people exhibited steadfast determination, courage, and resistance—a stance I personally witnessed during this struggle."

‘Withdrawal was for people’s safety’

Journalist Afrin added: "The supposed atmosphere of panic and fear being described was far from the truth. However, with the attacks coming from three separate fronts and the constant reconnaissance activity, the lives of people were placed in grave danger. Evaluating this situation, the Afrin-Shehba Canton Council made the decision to withdraw from Shehba. The primary goal of this withdrawal was to ensure the safety of the people. While the process was full of challenges, the people’s security was paramount. Had those living in Shehba stayed, they would have been subjected to the mercenaries' inhumane atrocities. 

The atrocities committed by the mercenaries against those who remained in Afrin—rape, murder, and torture—are well-known to everyone. On December 1, a decision was made to withdraw. That day, from 8:00am to 1:00pm, fighters mounted a strong resistance. After the withdrawal decision, preparations began for convoys to depart. Painful and difficult moments followed, and the scene foreshadowed a second disaster for Afrin. Convoys and vehicles lined up one after the other. Shehba had been encircled, and mercenaries infiltrated the convoys of people."

‘Forced back to Afrin by the mercenaries’

Underlining the oppression inflicted on the people by the mercenaries during the withdrawal, Rûken Afrin said: "When the convoy attempted to assemble in Til Qirax, the mercenaries began committing atrocities. People trying to join the convoy were obstructed. During this process, many were killed, and access to the convoy was denied. Over half of the people in the convoy were forcibly turned back by the mercenaries and sent to Afrin. These returns to Afrin at the time were a direct result of the mercenaries’ pressure and coercion. This situation showed that the people of Afrin refused to accept life under mercenary control. The decision by the Afrin-Shehba Canton Council was welcomed by the people, who supported the council. 

When the mercenaries reached the Til Qirax convoy, they began harassing the people. Among them was Abdulrahman Murshid, a patriotic Afrin resident devoted to his land and country. Surrounded by the mercenaries, Abdulrahman resisted their attempts to forcibly remove him from the convoy. As a result, he used his pistol to shoot himself in the head, sacrificing his life to avoid falling into their hands. It was an utterly heartbreaking scene. Abdulrahman Murshid, an elderly individual, chose to take his own life rather than be captured by the mercenaries."

‘People were targeted at random’

Journalist Afrin continued: "After the Til Qirax convoy, we somehow managed to reach the Fafin convoy. The weather was harsh and bitterly cold. This convoy included many children and elderly individuals, as well as a pregnant woman whose due date had arrived. The Martyr Avrin Hospital was only ten minutes away, but it was under the control of the mercenaries. Even those going to the hospital for medicine or medical supplies were targeted. Taking the pregnant woman to the hospital would have put her in grave danger. The potential treatment she would face was all too predictable. As a result, she had to give birth within the convoy itself, but sadly, the baby was stillborn. Additionally, two elderly individuals in the convoy lost their lives. 

After two days of waiting, during the day, the convoys that reached Tabqa and Raqqa were treated differently. However, those traveling at night endured inhumane treatment. Around the Kuweires Airbase, women were particularly subjected to humiliation, insults, and abuse. I also witnessed six corpses being burned, with at least ten others lying on the ground. More than a hundred people were prevented from continuing their journey. These events clearly illustrate the suffering and resilience of the people."

‘Physical and psychological violence’

Talking about the situation of the people in Shehba under mercenary control, Rûken Afrin said: "We hear about the oppression endured by the Afrin people remaining in the Til Rifat and Sherawa regions. On the very first day they arrived in Til Rifat, the mercenaries decided to remove all men aged 18 to 60 from the area. The women we spoke to revealed that their lives were in danger and that the mercenaries were subjecting them to psychological and physical violence. 

The primary reason for preventing many of the people in Til Rifat and Sherawa from joining the convoys was to exploit them for the mercenaries’ own benefit. These mercenaries aim to enslave the people for their own interests and eliminate anyone who refuses to comply. In this way, they seek to subjugate the people."

‘Released in exchange for ransom’

Journalist Afrin said that "due to the blockades imposed by the factions, approximately 50 families remained in Shehba. From the very first day, these remaining families were detained and arrested by the factions. Citizens were subjected to torture while held in small, cell-like rooms. The ransom amounts demanded for their release reached staggering figures, as high as 70 million Syrian liras. Moreover, there were attempts to forcibly transport the people to Afrin, which led to families being torn apart. To this day, many people remain unaware of the whereabouts of their family members. All these events further highlight the pain and resilience of our people."

‘Afrin’s light will shine again someday’

Journalist Rûken Afrin underlined the will of the people to return one day to their homes, and said: "As people from Afrin and me, as journalist in this land, we have not made, nor will we make, any appeals to international powers. Alongside the violence taking place in Afrin, its residents forcibly displaced to Shehba by the Turkish state endured further suffering as they fled to escape those massacres. 

We maintain our faith in the self-reliance of the people of Afrin and the peoples of Northern and Eastern Syria. We have never lost hope of return to Afrin. On these lands, marked by pain, we will continue to fight with resilience and solidarity to reclaim our future and preserve our hope."