Some Syrians are fleeing Turkey's offensive, others are returning home

As the Turkish offensive continues, thousands of civilians are being displaced in areas east of the Euphrates, northern Syria, particularly in Tal Abyad and the northern Raqqa countryside.

This is despite the assurances of the Turkey-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) that fighters would not commit abuses against civilians and that the aim of the military operation is to expel the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) - dominated by Kurdish forces - from northern Syria.

The SNA and the Turkish army took control of Tal Abyad on Sunday, as part of the military operation against the SDF, but the campaign has led to mass displacement.

"People are displaced and are moving to the areas of Raqqa countryside," media activist Wissam al-Arabi told The New Arab.

"The internally displaced depend on relatives because of the clan dimension, and most of them manage this way at the moment. As for the numbers of displaced people there is no accurate estimates," he said.

"Whoever owns a car managed to transport some valuable and belongings."

The Kurdish Red Crescent has confirmed that the number of displaced from the border areas with Turkey east of the Euphrates reached nearly 200,000 people, while aid groups have warned that up to 450,000 could be uprooted in the fighting.

Al-Arabi stressed the need for basic services, especially water, which has been cut off from the Hasakeh area for days because of the failure of a pumping station in the town of Alouk, east of Ras al-Ayn.

Syrians hope to return

Syrians who were previously displaced by SDF forces who took over Arab towns - such as Tal Abyad - during the fight against the Islamic State group.

Syrians from these areas are hoping they may be able to return home after the SNA took over.

"Since the SDF militia took control of the Tal Abyad area, I had to leave my house. Now my wife and I live in the city of al-Bab in Aleppo countryside," Abu Ahmed, 43, told The New Arab.
Hundreds of Syrian refugees live in the Turkish town of Agca Castle in the province of Urfa, just a few hundred metres from Tal Abyad.

These refugees were displaced from Tal Abyad by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia, which is the key component of the SDF.

Awad al-Sultan, who fled to Turkey during the YPG militia's takeover of of Tal Ayad is relieved that the Turkish-backed SNA have taken the town, with rebels having controlled it before IS.

"We waited a long time for our land was liberated, and now we will return," he said.

Awwad served as a director of the Syrian Red Crescent branch in Tal Abyad, before fleeing to Turkey two years ago.

He reiterated the determination of those displaced from areas held by Kurdish forces to return to their land after it is "liberated from the SDF militias".