Ayn Issa (Arabic: عين عيسى, Kurdish: Bozanê) is a majority-Arab town in the Jazira Region of Northern Syria, north of Raqqa.
Ayn Issa was liberated by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in June 2015. It was shortly recaptured by Daesh (ISIS), but was reclaimed by the SDF in early July. The Syrian Democratic Council’s seat of government was established in Ayn Issa, far from Kurdish-majority regions, to better ensure Arab representation and participation. The Turkish invasion forced the evacuation of Ayn Issa, leading the SDC to re-establish itself in Raqqa.
Since April 2016, the Ayn Issa refugee camp has been established on the outskirts of Ayn Issa which housed approximately 9,000 refugees by July 2018, mainly being Syrian Internally Displaced Persons from the Deir-Ez-Zor and Raqqa governorates.
Turkish airstrikes in the city of Kobani in northern Syria on Jan. 14, led to the complete destruction of a poultry farm and resulted in losses totalling tens of thousands of dollars.
The Executive Council of Cizîr Canton Democratic Autonomous Administration made a press statement in front of Mihemed Şêxo Culture and Art Centre in Qamishlo about the latest wave of Turkish attacks on the region which followed the serious blow suffered by the Turkish army in its war against guerrilla forces in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
Turkish attacks on northern Syria have been going on since Friday night, targeting not only residential areas but also service institutions.
The press statement was read by Talet Yûnis, Co-Chair of the Executive Council, and Gulistan Îsmaîl, Co-Chair of the Board of Education and Training.
The statement said that the Turkish army bombed infrastructure, services and strategic places in Dêrik, Tirbespiyê, Rimêlan and Çilaxa districts of Cizir Canton between 12-14 December. As a result of the ongoing attacks, service organisations providing water, electricity and agriculture to the region were left out of service, it noted.
The Executive Council pointed out that these attacks, which violate international law, hinder efforts to fight terrorism, vowing that solidarity and resistance will be strengthened in the face of the attacks, the gains of the revolution will be protected, and the plans for displacement and demographic change in the region will be foiled.
The Cizîr Canton Democratic Autonomous Administration called on the active forces in Syria, the international community, legal and humanitarian organisations to stop the attacks of the occupying Turkish state and to hold it to account for its crimes against humanity.
The Executive Council also called on the people of the region to unite around their institutions and protect the gains of the revolution.
In mid-summer 2021, local, social and civil committees were formed under the name of “Dispute Solving Committees”. It was made up largely of tribal leaders and activists of civil society organizations in Tabqa, Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor. Last February, those committees initiated a campaign under the name “Among your Relatives” to re-integrate ISIS-related families returning from Hawl Camp into society based on tribal sponsorships.
Girê Spi Canton Assembly Economic Committee implemented a communal project to support the refugees in Girê Spi Camp.
The Maras-centered earthquakes destroyed more than a hundred buildings in Syria and Rojava. 3,581 people lost their lives and 5,348 were injured. Thousands are still under the rubble in the Turkish-occupied areas as the death toll is not disclosed.
