PKK/YPG targets civilians in Manbij with rocket attacks
The town is witnessing a serious wave of migration due to PKK/YPG attacks targeting civilians and causing heavy damage to residential areas. (AA Photo)
Residents of Manbij’s eastern countryside are caught between displacement and fear as the PKK/YPG intensifies its rocket attacks from the eastern banks of the Euphrates River, targeting civilian areas.
Rocket attacks displace residents
The PKK/YPG, which continues to occupy over a third of Syria’s territory following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime, has been launching rocket and mortar attacks from its positions east of the Euphrates. These attacks directly threaten the lives and security of civilians in Manbij, a district in Aleppo province.
Residents of the eastern countryside, particularly in al-Hafsa town, face a dire choice: flee their homes or endure the daily threat of deadly strikes. The situation has triggered a mass displacement, with nearly 80% of the population forced to abandon their homes due to security concerns.
Residents fear for their lives
AA correspondents on the ground documented the aftermath of the attacks, capturing images of damaged buildings, deserted streets, and homes reduced to rubble.
Local resident Ahmed Sayil described the growing fear among the people:
“People have fled in terror. They have left behind their farmlands, businesses, and livelihoods. They want to escape with whatever they have left,” Sayil said.
He added that the PKK/YPG primarily strikes at night, forcing people to stay indoors once the sun sets due to fear of further bombardments.
Deteriorating living conditions
Another resident, Hussein Abdullah, highlighted the worsening humanitarian conditions in the area, pointing out that essential services have collapsed.
“There is no water, schools remain closed, and uncertainty dominates our lives. Elderly people and children cannot sleep at night due to fear,” Abdullah said.
He explained that PKK/YPG drones have repeatedly targeted water treatment facilities just five kilometers away, preventing their repair and disrupting water access for civilians.
“The economic situation has also become unbearable. PKK/YPG has completely devastated us,” he added.
