The invading Turkish army have prevented farmers in Rojava from accessing their farms along the border with Turkey. Many farmers have been injured to date due to border soldiers opening fire. Several have lost their lives. Most recently, on July 30 a minor named Meher Hesen was shot in the head by Turkish soldiers in Kobane’s Siftek village and lost his life 3 days later.

Turkish soldiers stop the planting of dozens of kilometers of fields along the Turkish border in Qamishlo’s Tirbespiye district. Shepherds in the region are not allowed to approach the border with their pasturing animals either. Soldiers have also set fire to thousands of hectares of land.

LIVELIHOOD CUT OFF

Villager Xelil Abdullah (50) said they haven’t been able to plant their fields for years. The Turkish soldiers open fire on all villagers who approach their fields said Abdullah and continued: “I could only plant half of my lands, which is my livelihood. Now I can’t do even that.”

Abdullah said he has 20 decares of land along the border and that the land hasn’t been planted in 4 years.

“THEY OPEN FIRE ON CHILDREN”

Abdullah said the Turkish soldiers open fire on everyone, including children: “Turkish soldiers open fire and throw fireballs from behind the concrete blocks by the border to set fire to cultivated lands.”

2500 DECARES OF LAND UNPLANTED

Tirbespiye Agricultural Body Co-chair Kemiran Umer said the soldiers prevent the planting of 2500 decares of land. Five percent of the region’s agricultural lands are along the border and cannot be planted.