Protests Against a Turkish Military Base in North Aleppo: Interview with a Representative

Previously I have documented the case of a Kurdish village in the Afrin region- Cilbirê- in which the inhabitants have so far been barred from returning to settle because a Turkish military base has been built over some destroyed houses in the area and is still functioning.

But not all the localities in Aleppo province affected by a Turkish military presence are Kurdish. Northeast of Aleppo city, in the area of al-Bab (which was once a stronghold of the Islamic State before Turkish-backed insurgents dislodged the group in an offensive in 2017), Turkey established a military base in a neighbourhood called Jabal Aqil. Despite the fall of the Assad regime, this base has not been removed. Recently, people from Jabal Aqil protested against this base and demanded a return to their homes. Below is an interview conducted on 16 May with Muhammad Qannas of the ‘Media Office for Jabal Aqil’ regarding the recent protests. It is slightly edited and condensed for clarity. Parenthetical insertions in square brackets are my own.

Photo from the recent protests.


Q: Can you speak a little about Jabal Aqil? Its history during the revolution, why a Turkish military base was established in the area, and the injustice the people of Jabal Aqil have faced.