On the fourth anniversary of the occupation of the region of Afrin, including its city, by Turkey and extremist militia groups that it supports, the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria has criticized the international community for its inaction and apathy towards the plight of Afrin’s displaced people.
“The United Nations and international community are still ignoring their responsibilities towards the people of Afrin,” said Mazloum Abdi, General Commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces.
“The liberation of Afrin is our moral and national duty, as well as the international community’s,” said Elham Ahmad, the President of the Executive Committee of the Syrian Democratic Council.
Afrin’s Kurdish population was largely forced out of the region. Prior to the Turkish attack, they made up over 90 percent of the population of the Afrin region. In the four years that have passed, that number has dropped below 30 percent. Most of Afrin’s displaced have since lived in camps for the internally displaced in the neighboring Shehba region, which is largely isolated from the rest of North and East Syria.