Again… Once again, eight families return to the villages of Afrin region

ARK News… In a step that the Kurds describe as positive, the Afrin region of Syrian Kurdistan is witnessing an intensive return of its Kurdish families, refugees in Lebanon and Turkey, displaced in Aleppo, and displaced in the Al-Shahba camps. A source confirmed today, October 27, 2023, that eight other families have returned to the villages of the Bulbul and Rajo districts.

The source said that eight families returned from Aleppo and Turkey to the villages of Kari, Zaara, Chaqmaqa, Cholaqa, and Khilalka, in addition to a group of young people returning from Turkey and Aleppo.

The source continued that the list is as follows:
A family from Turkey returned to the village of Kari in the Bulbul district, and another to the village of Qastal Khidriya
Two families and a young man from Aleppo to the village of Khilalka in Bulbul
A family from Turkey to the village of Za’re in the Bulbul town, and another family from Aleppo to the same village
One family to his village, Chaqmaqa in the Raju district, and another from Aleppo to his village, Cholaqa, in the Bulbul district.

A source from the Bulbul district reported on the 15th of this month that two displaced families had returned to the village of Bêlê, confirming that the two families had returned from Aleppo.

The source confirmed that the area that faced demographic change and the most affected area is witnessing the return of its families.

For its part, the Aida family urged the displaced people to return to the land of their fathers and grandfathers and receive their property and lands.

A Kurdish activist said, "During this period, more than fifty Kurdish families returned to their hometown in the city of Afrin and its environs and villages, according to the activist."

The activist stressed that "the process of returning the returnees' property varies from one village to another, depending on the faction controlling the village and the district. Families return their property comfortably, while others are forced to pay a ransom in exchange for the return of their property and lands."

The activist continued his speech to ARK by saying that "those returning to their hometowns are refugees in Turkey and Lebanon, and the displaced and displaced in the Al-Shahba and Aleppo camps."

A second source said, "A group of young men are also returning to their city. The city and its countryside have witnessed the return of dozens of Kurdish young men from Turkey, the Kurdistan Region, and other regions."

He pointed out that "a number of families are victims of forced return from Turkey, and there are a number of families who were forcibly returned to Afrin, and those families had fled the furnace of war more than ten years ago."

He stressed that "the best solution to limit demographic change is return. The city and its environs and villages embrace dozens of Kurdish families returning from Turkey, Aleppo, and the Al-Shahba camps daily."

The past few months have witnessed the unprecedented return of displaced Kurdish families in Aleppo and those displaced in the Shahba camps, as well as refugees in Lebanon, Turkey and the Kurdistan Region.

After the Afrin war, more than 300,000 Kurds were displaced to the Al-Shahba camps, and they became victims of the PYD administration’s policy controlling the camps and the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiya neighborhoods in Aleppo, which prevents the displaced from making their decision to return or head to other areas.

Despite the horrific violations taking place in Afrin, the displaced Kurds decided to return to their hometown, especially after more than five years had passed since they remained in the camps in the Aleppo countryside.

Politicians call for the need to return to limit demographic change in the region.

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