In 2016, YPG, YPJ and SDF fighters liberated a part of the Shehba region from the Turkey-linked Front Al-Nusra and other mercenary groups. After the Turkish state occupied Afrin at the beginning of 2018, the borders of Shehba changed. While the Turkish army and mercenaries settled north, the Damascus regime stayed south, west and east. Therefore, the Shehba region was besieged on four sides. There is only one road to Shehba and it is in the hands of the 4th Brigade.

The 4th Brigade, which was set up within the Damascus forces, controls the village of Ehdas, 10 km from Aleppo. The 4th Brigade collects high fees on all products and vital materials that go to Shehba through this village, and therefore, everything is very expensive in Shehba, especially fuel and food products.

In the "Sûka Reş" bazaar located in the center of Shehba, a liter of diesel is sold for 4300 Syrian Lira (SL), a liter of gasoline for 5700 SL and a gas cylinder for 90.000 LS. Because of these high prices, the people of Shehba and Afrin had to spend the winter in harsh conditions. It should not be forgotten that more than 100 thousand refugees live in Shehba. Refugees are struggling to survive in camps Berxwedan, Serdem, Veger, Afrin and Shehba. Likewise, refugees from Afrin are the people most affected by these high prices.

High prices also affect agriculture

Due to its proximity to the Mediterranean, Shehba has fertile lands. However, for the last three years, precipitation has been almost non-existent in Shehba and throughout Syria. Therefore, farmers have to irrigate their crops with well water. However, engines installed on wells run on diesel. Thus, due to high diesel prices, agriculture is therefore also severely affected.

Likewise, the healthcare industry suffers from high prices. Three hospitals provide service in Shehba region, Avrin, Til Rifat and one dedicated to coronavirus cases. Afrin Region Health Committee is having difficulty supplying these hospitals with medicines and medical supplies due to the high cost due to customs.

‘We are under heavy embargo by the Damascus government’

Speaking to ANF, Afrin Region Assembly co-chair Zelox Bekir drew attention to the damage caused to the people of the region by the siege around Shehba that has been going on for 4 years and said: “We are under a heavy embargo by the Damascus government. We can only break the siege and embargo through one way, and that is under the control of the 4th Brigade. These forces sometimes block the way and demand high taxes. The Syrian regime is inflicting this suffering on the people of Shehba in cooperation with the mercenaries of the Turkish state.”

Bekir said that Turkish mercenaries are “preparing an attack plan against the Kurds living in Shehba and Aleppo in cooperation with the Damascus government as part of the Turkish state's policy of annihilation against the Kurdish people. As it is known, the weakest point of the Autonomous Administration are the neighbourhoods of Shex Meqsûd and Eşrefiye in Shehba and Aleppo, because these are under siege from all sides.”

'We are ready for any fight'

Zelox Bekir said that the people of Shehba and Afrin promised to end the concept of annihilation of the Turkish state and the government of Damascus and added that they are ready for any fight.

The Afrin Region Assembly co-chair said: "When we had to leave Afrin, we vowed to resist that would enable them to return to Afrin. For this reason, the people of Afrin, Shehba, Şêxmeqsûd and Eşrefiye will continue their resistance until the end.”

Refugees from Afrin, who had to live in Shehba, also said the same. Rengin Mihemed, one of the refugees from Afrin, said that they cannot meet their daily needs in any way at the moment and added: "This situation will never weaken us. We came to Shehba after the Afrin resistance and our resistance will continue under all conditions.”