A group of 292 Syrians went back to the Syrian town of Jarablus from Turkey on Wednesday (September 7), marking the first formal return of civilians since Ankara launched a military incursion two weeks ago to try to secure the border region, a Turkish official said.
Jarablus, which had been held by Islamic State, was the first town captured by Turkey’s army and its Syrian rebel allies in an offensive launched on Aug. 24 that aims to sweep away jihadists and Syrian Kurdish militias from the frontier.
“After the battles subsided somewhat 10 or more days ago, thank God all the people returned. The people who left came back. The situation is good, but we are suffering from a shortage of services. The main problem is water, bread and electricity. These are the things we are most without,” said Jarablus resident and market worker, Abu Ahmad.
Turkey has said it cleared militants from a 90-km (56-mile) stretch of Syrian territory and has pushed south. It has also said it would support any U.S. initiative to strike Islamic State’s stronghold of Raqqa, further to the southeast.
“After Jarablus was liberated, we moved our entire military base out of the city to the front lines expect for the security institution which is working to save people’s belongings and the public places,” said Omar, a fighter from the Free Syria Army.
Turkey, which hosts 3 million Syrian refugees, has urged world powers to back plans for a “safe zone” in northern Syria to stem the flow of migrants and to allow Syrians to return home.
Although it has failed to win support for the idea, Ankara has pressed on with its offensive to carve out a swathe of territory under the control of the Turkish army and its allies, the Free Syrian Army, allowing some civilians to return home.
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2016
