The attacks on the canton of Afrin by the Turkish army and its jihadist groups have continued unabated since January 20. Thousands of civilians were forced to leave their villages and seek refuge in the city center of Afrin due to ongoing air raids and bombing. According to the Avrin Hospital in Afrin, at least 216 civilians have been killed and 647 other civilians have been wounded. Stephane Dujarric, United Nations spokesman, ignores the death toll and casualties, claiming that Afrin’s self-administration and the YPG prevented the civilian population from fleeing. This statement triggered criticism and reactions among the inhabitants of the canton.

Osman Ismail Mustafa comes from Kevirêker village in the Rajo district and had to leave his village twenty days ago. Now, with 17 members of his family, he has found refuge in the center of Afrin. Mustafa contradicts the UN statement and says, "We are here. The UN has begun to spread Erdogan's lies and propaganda. They say the YPG in Afrin prevents civilians from leaving the city. The UN should note that we will not leave Afrin. Why should the YPG prevent us? The UN reports as how it fits Erdoğan. We support our children fighting at the front. Erdoğan attacks us and destroys our homes. We are bombed and killed. Therefore, we had to flee to the city center of Afrin. The one who terrorizes us and spreads terror is Erdoğan himself. He is the one who destroyed Syria, Libya, Egypt and Tunisia. The UN should not act on Erdoğan's line and spread his propaganda."

Şiyê Şaban Henan from Erendê Village of Shiyê district fled to the city center of Afrin with 30 of his family members. Henan criticizes the UN spokesman as follows: "The YPG is a force that has emerged from the people. The YPG are children of this people. Who suppresses who now? Why do not the UN publish seven reports about who terrorized us? We have lived here peacefully for seven years. The UN blames our children for no reason. "

"Turkey uses chemical weapons against us. It has attacked the village of Tirendê with banned weapons. For that reason we were forced to leave our village. Otherwise we would never abandon even an inch of our land to Turkey. But our morale is good. We are proud of the YPG, YPJ and SDF. They are our people's defense units. We have never had the desire to leave Afrin. The UN should rather deal with the massacres of civilians and the occupying forces in Afrin. These are important issues, "continued Henan.

Mihemed Cemîl is another civilian who has been forced to leave the village with his family due to the ongoing air raids and bombing of the Turkish army. Cemil now lives with 15 family members with another family in the center of Afrin. "Our house was hit by three mortar shells. The whole house was destroyed by the shelling. We are civilians. Our children were injured by the attack. Therefore, we were forced to come to the city center of Afrin. We are staying here now. The population has opened its doors for us. There are great difficulties here, but despite everything, people are resisting. Nobody wants to leave Afrin. Many even go to areas that continue to be bombed by the Turkish aircraft."