Close-up of the doctor, Michael Wilk has experienced in Northern Syria attack Turkey on the Kurdish areas. In the interview-he reports of casualties, the Displaced and the great suspicion with regard to the future.
DW: you have cared for in a hospital in Tell Tamer in Northern Syria Wounded. Tell Tamer is only a few kilometers to the South of Turkey claimed the so-called security zone. There you have witnessed the 150-hour fire-break and also the end. What have you observed there?
Michael Wilk: Where we were, there was de facto no truce. With our hospital we were at the beginning of about 20 kilometers, at the end of less than ten kilometers away from the front line. The Front came closer. That is to say: The Turkish army and its jihadist auxiliaries sought on the ground were, their territory expand. Tell Tamer is strategically important. At the time, the city is still in the hands of the Kurdish self-defense units and the Syrian units, which are re-tightened. But there was no truce. We had the whole time, seriously injured, the Dying, the Dead – both the self-defense forces as well as among the civilian population
Michael Wilk has been involved for years for the people in the North of Syria, such as here in Tell Tamer
On Tuesday, there were reports from the Syrian Observatory for human rights in London and fights between the Turkish-controlled militias and the Syrian troops also in Tell Tamer.
This started back when we were still there. It advanced Syrian troops, troops of the Assad regime, according to the Region – according to this over the heads of the affected population over international agreements concluded between Russia and Turkey. The report that the Turkish invasion troops with troops Assad Regime are to each other, is authentic.
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After Sochi: reactions to the agreement to Northern Syria
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After Sochi: reactions to the agreement to Northern Syria
On the ground seem to be on the Turkish side, less regular troops rather than Turkish-backed militias. How would you describe?
I was understand in the last few years, often to emergency care in the Region and believe about what attracts as full. Turkey is on the ground, especially jihadist-Islamist auxiliary troops. Recruited from the region of Idlib. Which is still defended against the Syrian Regime and supported by Turkey. In Idlib, especially jihadis have set tables for groups. There command were recruited units to the Invasion to carry out. If I say to the jihadist forces, I mean fighters of the former Al-Nusra Front – the troops are Al-Qaeda close. It is also former IS fighters are but including. You can identify on images. These are people who have fought in other places for the IS, have then brought in via Turkey or directly to Idlib in safety. And now you can take part on the Turkish side in the Invasion against the Kurdish areas.
You have watched one and a half years, the Turkish invasion in ‘ afrīn at close range. This story is repeated in your eyes?
Afrin was bombed by the Turkish side, and Islamist troops stormed. The self-defense units there fled and the population. I was seen in the adjacent territory of Sheba and how the people there lived. Now we know that Turkey has annexed this area, sort of, with the Turkish postal authorities, Turkish police, Turkish textbooks, and schools. As you can imagine, what happens in the worst case, in the territory, which is now conquered by Turkey and its auxiliary troops: this approximately 120 km wide region between Tell Abyad and Ras Al-Ain, about 30 to 35 kilometers deep into the country-reaching.
Turkish-supported Arab fighters plunder in March 2018 shops in Afrin
We have as a result of this Invasion now, 200,000 to 300,000 refugees. And in a Region that was relatively calm. After the defeat of the IS year, many people were in this part of the country. Now the people have fled to the neighboring areas to dwell in a very confined space. Schools are occupied. 70,000 children cannot go to school. There is a lack of a lot of food for the part, in some places, even drinking water. Medical care is increasingly difficult, according to the Kurdish Red Crescent. This Invasion has triggered a cascade of humanitarian disaster.
How many and which people are actually retarded and not fled before the Turkish troops and auxiliary troops?
I’ve talked with colleagues who have previously worked in hospital of Serekaniye, which is part of the conquered territory. The colleagues have fled with their whole family, bag and baggage. Reported: Only a very small part of the population remained there. Because, basically, everybody fled is taken, for this self – governing Region in any Form-whether it was a road traffic policeman or a person in the administration or also someone who has worked in the hospital – especially if he is of Kurdish-descent. Some people think you could live with the Turkish occupation and remained. But this is a very small minority. The need to throw now, new rules. From various reports, that these rules look like this now, that in certain cities women are forced, once again, in Black and to disguise themselves.
The Turkish invasion has been a massive wave of refugees triggered in a previously relatively quiet area
On Wednesday have begun in Geneva, talks about a future Syrian Constitution. Kurds are not allowed to participate due to Turkish pressure. This process is of interest to people in Northern Syria at all?
The great hope of the people with whom I have spoken on these discussions. This Region, where Kurdish people are trying to live with Assyrians, Arameans and Arabs in harmony and to organize joint management, is not included, is for most of the bad there, however, an absurdity. Accordingly, suspicious of you, what happened in Geneva watch. But you are trying to save parts of the self-government in the future over. What is, however, difficult. Now troops of the Assad regime are again in this area, the man called in the Emergency. The Assad Regime is in most of the Kurds are not very popular. You had a bad experience. The Assad Regime of Kurdish autonomy will be Zone probably a thorn in the eye. And if only Idlib for Assad is no longer a Problem, you have to expect that he will align this Autonomous Zone centralist to Damascus the way.
The questions were asked by Matthias von Hein.