Sindaf - (AFP) - Near the lines of contact with the Kurdish forces in northern Syria, the displaced Ahmed Yassin fears that he will once again find himself forced to flee from a village under the control of Syrian factions loyal to Ankara, in the event that Turkey launches a ground attack on the area.

Yassin, 34, told AFP, "Despite the conditions we lived through, including tragedy, lack of job opportunities and poverty...we are currently threatened with displacement again because of the military battle that could take place."

After repeated displacement during the past five years, Yassin resides in an overcrowded camp on the outskirts of the village of Sandaf, near the Tel Rifaat area, which is under the control of Kurdish forces in Aleppo Governorate (north), and it is one of the three areas designated by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan last month as targets for attack. Berri is waving a charge in northern Syria.

Since November 20, Turkey has launched a series of air strikes and artillery strikes against Kurdish forces' positions in Syria and Iraq, after accusing them, despite their denials, of being behind an improvised explosive device attack in Istanbul on November 13 that killed six people.

After the strikes, which mostly hit military points of the Syrian Democratic Forces, Ankara threatens a ground attack, the timing of which has not been specified, and through which it aims to achieve its endeavor to establish a safe area thirty kilometers deep at its southern borders, including the areas of Tal Rifaat, Manbij and Kobani located in the areas of influence of the Kurds in the Aleppo governorate. .

Yassin, a daily laborer who lives with his wife and two children in the camp, like other residents, expresses his concern that he will find himself caught in the fire, in the event of a Turkish attack that would prompt the Kurdish forces to respond by targeting the area in which he lives.

The man who was displaced from his hometown in the south of the neighboring Idlib governorate (northwest) years ago as a result of the battles says, "In the end, we only reap a headache. Most of what we want is for God to release it for us and for us to return to our region, our lands, and our homes."
"Life is difficult and we are threatened by the war," he added.

Human rights organizations warn of the repercussions of any military operation in northern Syria, the densely populated area, calling on all parties to stop any escalation and protect civilians on both sides.

A coalition of organizations, including Save the Children, warned in a joint statement Thursday that any "further escalation in hostilities will put the population residing in overcrowded villages in the area at risk, which could lead to a new wave of displacement."

And live, according to the statement, "some of the poorest communities along the northern regions, where poverty, insecurity and the risk of conflict already prevail."

From time to time, Muhammad Abu Ali (45 years), who resides in Sandaf camp with his wife and five children, one of whom has special needs, finds himself trapped between intermittent exchanges of shelling by the Kurdish forces and the pro-Ankara factions, which leads to "a state of panic and fear among the residents." the camp".

The man from southern Idlib, who in turn experienced the experience of displacement several times, adds that there is one of two options, "either a (military) operation takes place that will bring us back to our homes, or they reach an agreement among themselves so that we stay in the camp."

Regardless of what the situation will be like in the coming period, all that matters to Abu Ali is that "we live the remaining days of our lives in our homes."

Since 2016, Ankara has launched three ground operations in Syria, especially targeting Kurdish fighters, and has taken control, along with loyal Syrian factions, of large areas near its borders.

At points on the contact line with Tell Rifaat, the fog almost obscures the view. Some military points appear to be devoid of pro-Ankara Syrian fighters, while there are no preparations for an imminent Turkish attack, according to an AFP correspondent.

The same scene is repeated in the vicinity of the city of Manbij, which is under the influence of the Kurdish forces, which Ankara considers "terrorist". No heavy equipment such as tanks, armored vehicles and machine guns appear, and the number of fighters is limited in some points to one or two.

Inside some of the brick centers, the fighters are chatting, some playing with their mobile phones while others sip tea.

"There are no current arrangements for a military operation in the field," a pro-Ankara Syrian fighter, who identified himself as Youssef Abu al-Majd, while stationed in an area supervising Tal Rifaat, told AFP.

A few days ago, Moscow sent military reinforcements to several points in northern Syria under the control of the Kurds and the regime forces, including Tal Rifaat, at a time when it, along with Washington, which supports the Kurds, warns of the consequences of any military escalation in northern Syria.

Moscow and Tehran, allies of Damascus, and Turkey have been coordinating for years regarding the situation in Syria.

Abul-Majd believes that "unless the factions take the green light from the Turkish ally, they will not be able to move on their own."
He added, "Unless the Turkish ally takes the green light from the United States, Russia and Iran, it will not take any military action" in northern Syria.