Turkish troops are continuing to open fire with impunity on the border between North and West Kurdistan. Soldiers, who have carried out dozens of extra judicial executions, have now shot two shepherds tending their animals in Rojava (West Kurdistan).

Turkish soldiers, who have opened fire on dozens of people they claimed were crossing the border illegally, have now targeted shepherds at work on the Rojava side of the border.

The incident took place at around 11.30 pm on 15 September, when Haydar Osman (25) and Jalal Muhammad (23), were raked with bullets while on the way home after passing their duties on to other shepherds in the Rajo sub-district of Afrin canton. Both were wounded in the legs and taken to Afrin for treatment.

Haydar Osman said he had been grazing animals in the area for about 5 months, and that soldiers had previously fired over their heads if they approached the border, but on this occasion the soldiers had targeted them despite the fact they were nowhere near the border.

Osman added: “In the past they said they shot people for crossing the border, what will they say now? The soldiers from the Aktepe military post shot us.” Osman added there were dozens of other shepherds in the area.

The man said that they used to chat to the soldiers on the border, but that since the revolution soldiers had begun to target everyone. He added that he was concerned soldiers might open fire on people watering their fields late at night.

Jalal Muhammad thinks they were attacked because Turkey sees people from Rojava as enemies.

Muhammad explained the incident thus: "We are shepherds and we know where the good pastures are. Where we were shot, on the Shadiye pasture, is somewhere we have always grazed animals. As the grass has withered elsewhere we went there. Soldiers have fired over our heads before, but this is a place we always use. Perhaps the soldiers don't know, but their commanders know this very well. Last night we allowed the animals to graze until sunset, then took them to the fold, in case soldiers shot at us. We handed the animals over to my brother, who is also a shepherd, and made tea. Then we headed for home. As we moved away from the flock we were caught in a hail of bullets. We hear on the radio that gangs cross the border and that weapons are taken to them across the border, and that soldiers ignore these gangs that attack our land. But they shoot poor people like us in our own land."

In the last 10 days in villages in the Shara and Rajo sub-districts, 7 people have now been shot on the North Kurdistan border. One died and one lost an arm in these attacks.