Residents of Manbij (Minbic) in northeast Syria staged a rally on Thursday against the increasing number of Turkish airstrikes, urging the international community to intervene and establish a no-fly zone in the region.
Carrying placards bearing messages such as “Syrian youth reject all forms of Turkish occupation” and “Erdoğan won’t achieve in the sky what he did not achieve on the ground,” the protesters expressed their opposition to the Turkish military operations.
The protest holds particular significance as it was organised by the youth council of the Future Syria Party, whose secretary general, Hevrin Khalaf (Hevrîn Xelef), was tragically killed by members of the Turkish-backed Ahrar al-Sharqiya during the 2019 Turkish incursion into northeastern Syria.
Voicing the need for international support to prevent further aggression, the protesters echoed the sentiments expressed by Tell Abyad Military Council spokesman Wissam Al-Omar, who argued that Turkey’s increased attacks aim to occupy these areas and forcibly displace the civilian population.
The number of Turkish drone attacks on areas controlled by the Autonomous Administration in northeast Syria has reached 18 since the beginning of 2023, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). These attacks have resulted in the loss of 23 lives and left at least 14 individuals injured. The ongoing offensives have also caused significant damage to infrastructure, raising concerns and fears among the local population.