Yazidi Council of Syria issues call to Kurds in Shahba, Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiya neighborhoods

ARK News.. The Yazidi Council of Syria has issued an appeal to the displaced Kurds in the Shahba region and the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood, urging them to be reasonable, not to succumb to emotional impulses or temptations, and to reject relocation from poor camps to even worse ones in the deserts of Raqqa, Tabqa and Deir Ez-zour, or even to areas in the Jazira region east of the Euphrates, as some parties are advocating.

The text of the appeal reads as follows

With the escalation of fighting in the rural areas of Aleppo and its neighborhoods, the security situation has deteriorated, leaving the residents of these areas facing dire living conditions and an uncertain future. However, there is a glimmer of hope: for the first time since 2018, the forces controlling Afrin have allowed displaced Afrin residents in the Shahba areas to return to Afrin. Hundreds of families and dozens of convoys are now arriving safely in Afrin every day.

In addition, many charities and humanitarian organizations have stepped up to fulfil their duties by providing essential services, medical care and food aid to those returning to Afrin. In particular, the Barzani Charity Foundation has been a leading force in providing humanitarian assistance to the people of Afrin, alongside organizations such as Bahar and Shurouq, among others. These organizations have consistently carried out their humanitarian and service-oriented missions to the fullest.

Therefore, we call on our remaining people in the Shahba areas and surrounding regions to act with wisdom, not to be swayed by emotions or temptations, and to firmly reject relocation to worse conditions in the deserts of Raqqa, Tabqa and Deir Ez-zour, or even to the Jazira region east of the Euphrates, as some parties are suggesting.

You have two choices: either stay in your homes (for those who have homes in Aleppo) or go to Afrin and then to your own homes. We believe that the second option is the better and more logical choice. Although the initial stages of return may be challenging, it is far better than a state of no return. Every return of Afrin resident to their homes represents a step towards breaking the cycle of demographic and population change that has plagued Afrin since 2014.

Finally, we express our deepest gratitude and appreciation to all those who have carried out and continue to carry out their humanitarian duties. Special thanks go to the Barzani Charity Foundation, the Afrin Local Council of the Kurdish National Council in Syria, and all the agencies, organisations and individuals who are assisting civilians returning to Afrin at this critical time.

We hope for peace and stability in the future of Syria, where all components of the Syrian people can live in dignity and harmony.

Yazidi Council of Syria
4 December 2024

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