The Shera and Sherawa districts of Afrin border on the territories occupied by Turkey and thus on a war front. The Turkish troops and their mercenaries open fire on everything that moves along the border strip. Further afield, artillery shells are hitting at random. In this death strip, farming is practically impossible. The olives and fruit on trees dry up and rot or the trees burn because of the attacks.

Mines, rockets and shots against farmers

According to the Agricultural Committee of the Sherawa District Council, there are 149,000 fruit trees in these strips. These are 99,000 olive trees and 50,000 pomegranate trees. In addition, 3,550 hectares of agricultural land where vital grains such as wheat and barley used to be grown can no longer be cultivated. If they try nevertheless, they are immediately fired upon by the occupying forces. Sometimes rockets or grenades, but also mines, are used against the farmers. The villages most affected are Zoq al-Kabir, Kelutiye, Burj al-Qas, Soxanekê, Aqibê, Bênê and Tinib.

People are deprived of their livelihood

Ismail Ehmed, from Bênê village in Sherawa district, cannot harvest his crops and take care of and harvest his trees because of the attacks of the occupation forces. Ehmed owned 3,000 trees, of which 2,000 were confiscated by the occupation forces. He was left with only a third, which he is also unable to tend due to the attacks. He speaks of daily attacks and recalls that he has not been able to harvest olives for four years.

Yahya Nebo has 200 olive trees. He reports shelling and mines being laid on farmland and laments, "These trees are our livelihood, we live off them. But now we have difficulties. Because the mercenaries prevent us from harvesting the olives with their attacks."