Demanding improvement of living situation | Members of Turkish-backed police assault demonstrators in Ras al-Ain (Sere Kaniye)

Al-Hasakah province: SOHR sources have reported that residents staged a demonstration, today, in Ras al-Ain city (Sere Kaniye) in northern al-Hasakah, protesting the dire living situation and calling for the expulsion of corrupt officials of Ras al-Ain Council. Meanwhile, the civil police beat some of the demonstrators and threatened to arrest them.

 

Accordingly, the dignitaries and tribes’ elders of Ras al-Ain issued a statement directed to the leadership of the Turkish forces in Ankara. The statement, of which the Syrian Observatory obtained a copy, reads “we, the dignitaries and tribes’ elders of Ras al-Ain, took part in a demonstration today, protesting the dire living conditions in our city, and we lifted placards with slogans showing our rightful demands in light of the deteriorating conditions following the Local Council’s recent decisions raising the price of bread to the double. After the demonstrators had gathered near al-Jouzah roundabout, we were surprised of the arrival of members of the civil police who started to beat the demonstrators brutally. After the civil police’s attack, the translator of the Wali, Mostafa Aqsoy, came to beat the demonstrators and expel them from the perimeter of the Local Council. Accordingly, we call upon the leadership of the Turkish forces in Ankara for the following:

 

• Holding the Wali in charge of Ras al-Ain city accountable over the deteriorating living situation.

 

• Discharging Mostafa Aqsoy, the Wali’s translator.

 

• Toppling the local council of Ras al-Ain city and electing a new council comprising experts with qualifications who can improve the living situation.

 

• Increasing the humanitarian supplies provided to the city’s people.

 

• Providing projects for the improvement of service in our city.”

 

Yesterday, SOHR activists documented a demonstration staged by dozens of civilians from Ras al-Ain (Sere Kaniye) near the vicinity of al-Jouzah roundabout in the city which is under the control of Turkish-backed faction. The demonstrators protested the deteriorating living situation and shortage of bread, and they demanded hold members of the city’s local council accountable.

 

The demonstrators also called for the toppling of the council and securing the needed basic essentials. Meanwhile, the civil police have dispersed the protests by force, before the protesters headed to the border crossing with Turkey, chanting slogans such as “down with the local council”, and “corrupt officials have to be held accountable.”