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Turkey Prevents Return of its Syrian Fighters to Their Homes.. Despite Assad's Fall
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Syrian fighters' suffering highlights Turkey's continued attempts to maintain influence in occupied areas by preventing return of original inhabitants
Turkish authorities continue preventing hundreds of Syrian fighters and their families from returning to their original areas after Assad regime's fall, despite new administration's pledges of general amnesty.
Exclusive testimonies to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights from "Syrian National Army" fighters revealed categorical Turkish refusal of their return to their areas, continuing Ankara's demographic change policy.
"Uday" from "Ahrar al-Sharqiya" explained that Turkish forces prevent his return with his family to Deir ez-Zor, confirming their search for smuggling routes to reach their city.
"Abu Omar" from "Jaysh al-Islam," displaced from Eastern Ghouta, appealed to allow him to cross with his family of 5 to Damascus, pointing to lack of job opportunities in Ras al-Ain.
Meanwhile, "Muayad" from Military Police confirmed that ten fighters from Homs were prevented from returning by direct Turkish orders, appealing to new leadership to intervene to secure their return.
This comes as Turkey continues forced settlement policy in "Peace Spring" area, where fighters' elements and families were housed in area homes, after controlling it in 2019 military operation.
Settler families were distributed in Ras al-Ain neighborhoods and surrounding villages, as part of systematic demographic change policy aimed at consolidating Turkish influence in the region.
These practices reveal reality of Turkish ambitions in northern Syria, where Ankara uses Syrian fighters as tools to implement its expansionist project, then prevents them from returning to their areas.
Levant-Agencies
