Daesh riddles N Syrian towns with mines

The Daesh terrorist organization has planted land mines in crop fields and civilian homes in the northern Syrian villages cleared by the Turkish military-backed Free Syrian Army fighters under the Operation Euphrates Shield (OES), an Aleppo Turkmen leader said.

Ahmet Zeynel Mahli, founder and general secretary of the Aleppo Turkmens' Association, told Yeni Şafak that civilians who come back to their houses after their towns are liberated by OES forces are afraid of cultivating their lands due to the landmine exposures having been planted by Daesh.

Zeynel Mahli said around 10,000 civilians have fled from PYD-held Manbij and took shelter in Havahoyuk and Tashlihoyuk villages.

They cannot enter houses, because the terrorists planted mines in household tools including refrigerators, according to Mahli.

He said, “The lands are full of explosives. People are living in barns."

“Not only in the crop land, but houses are also planted by Daesh mines."

Daesh had stolen all of their food and medical products when they fled from the villages.

The civilians are living on only humanitarian supplies from Turkey. They need everything, including more food, medical supplies, milk for kids, blankets and cleaning materials, he added.

People are traumatized by Daesh's brutality. Children are the main victims of this psychological disorder. They need psychologic support.

Mahli said he met an 80-year-old man in the village who came to a bread distribution point with his five grandchildren.

“The old man told me that he had never seen this type of brutality, not even during the oppression of Hafiz Assad, father of the Syrian President Bashar al Assad", Mahli said.

Mahli added that Daesh had killed all cats and dogs in the village, because the animals went through the mine fields, that had been planted for people, and exploded them.

“Thus, by killing the cats and dogs, the terror group saved their mine fields to trap people across the villages it had controlled," according to the Turkmen official.

He stated that local residents are grateful to Turkey and the Turkish military for providing them a free life after four years of oppression.

“People sees Turkey as a security for their safety. They believe if Turkey's military continues its presence in the area, Daesh would not dare to return to the areas," Mahli added. “Because only the free Syrian army was not enough to counter Daesh."