Due to the attacks of the Turkish state and its gangs against Shehba and Til Rifat on 29 November, the people were forced to flee the region on 2 December and resettled in the safe areas of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria.

Speaking to ANF, Leyla Mihemed and Zeynel Nazmî from Afrin, who are currently sheltered in Qamishlo, expressed both their pain and their determination to continue the resistance against the attacks by the Turkish state and affiliated gangs.

Zeynel Nazmî stated: “We were doing well in Afrin. We were living a routine life, our living conditions were quite good. No one was harming anyone or interfering with their work. But one day, like a nightmare, the planes of the Turkish state flew over us, destroyed us and occupied our Afrin. They attacked with tanks, artillery and fighter jets. In response, we resisted for 58 days. In the end, we had to leave and migrated to Shehba. After moving to Shehba, we settled in the camp in Ehdas. We lived in that camp for six years. Six years later, the gangs started to attack again. We had to relocate because of the attacks from Til Rifat and Aleppo. With the difficulties we faced, we travelled to Serdem Camp and stayed there for two days. My children and I managed to reach safe locations on foot. Then we got here in a vehicle. Me, my wife and my children, there were 10 of us in total. When we arrived here, our friends welcomed us. They did nothing wrong and helped us. During our stay in Shehba, we had to sleep on the floor. Three children died from the cold. Since the weather was very cold, we had very difficult days and experienced a lot of suffering. Only in Shehba, three of our children died in front of our eyes, and elderly and sick people died from the cold. It is impossible to describe in words how much hardship and suffering we faced.”

Leyla Mihemed stated: “Our living conditions in Afrin were very good; we were busy with our daily work in peace. But one day, unexpectedly, the Turkish state's warplanes started to attack us, forcing us to leave Afrin. For 58 days, warplanes flew over us and we tried to live under the explosions of bombs. Then we moved to Shehba. We did not have a comfortable life there for six years. Reconnaissance planes and bombs were a part of our lives at every moment. Finally, when Shehba was occupied on 2 December, we set out for safe areas. We and our children were targeted again. First, we took refuge in the camps, but when the camps were also attacked, we started moving again. There were no vehicles around us, we walked barefoot for a long time. Before the latest attacks, we were more or less organised; they were helping us to meet our needs; supplies and fuel were coming in. However, gangs surrounded everywhere to break this solidarity. We barely saved ourselves. We protected our children, but some children remained, some disappeared and many did not even know where they were going. Everyone was scattered all over the mountains. About 15-20 families came here. We were on the road for three days. We also stopped in Tabqa. Then we came to Qamishlo. Our people are experiencing our deep pain with us, they opened their houses to us. People will gain their freedom by resisting. Our return to Afrin will be realised one day.”