The village Soxanek in Afrin’s Sherawa district has long been a target of attacks by the Turkish state and its Islamist proxies. Eight months ago the inhabitants left the village, now they are preparing their return. Soxanek is only two kilometers away from the villages of Kîmar, Berada and Basilê, which are occupied by Turkey.

Xelîl Berekat, one of the people from Soxanek, believes that it is impossible to live outside the village. "We spent our childhood there and are attached to it. In Kîmar, the occupiers burned down over 800 olive trees. My son was kidnapped herding sheep," he says.

Henîfa Xelîl says: "Because of the Turkish state and its gangs we are not safe in our village. There are thousands of olive trees here. Because of the attacks we could not harvest the olives and we have no income. Many historical sites have also been bombed.”

Mehmûd Mamo tells that people from Soxanek moved to the village of Aqîbê because of the attacks: "But we were also attacked there. Anyway, we can't live far away from our village. That's why we will resist the Turkish occupation until the end."