afrinpost – Special
The city of Afrin and many other cities and towns under the Turkish occupation witnessed yesterday evening, Friday 3/6/2022, a wave of violence against the background of the state of discontent after the Turkish electricity companies Ak Energy and Ste raised the prices of consumption segments to 4.5 liters per kilowatt, and justified their decision by the increased feul price from the source.
A protest was called for yesterday after Friday prayers, provided that the gathering point will be at Newroz roundabout, but it was attended by limited people, where a statement was issued in the name of the “Revolutionaries and Displaced Persons in Afrin” declaring their full readiness to shut down the electricity company completely and prevent its employees from carrying out their work within it. Until their demands are met, on Monday 6/6/2022. According to the statement.
However, the call for a protest against the Electricity Company in the city of Afrin was renewed at a later time, and it was set at ten in the evening, saying that the reason is the increase in consumption prices and the frequent interruptions, but soon the demonstrators stormed the Electricity Company building, smashed its contents, including computers, and set it on fire. The demonstrators went to the local council in Afrin and set it on fire as well.
The security forces mobilized and worked to disperse the demonstrators and shot them, turning the demonstration into clashes between the two parties, while the Turkish special forces fired tear gas canisters in the vicinity of Al-Saraya, where the Turkish governor is located. According to the information, 6 protesters were wounded by bullets from the guards of the Turkish governor, among them: Ahmed Issa from Idlib, and Farhan Al-Hawiji from Azaz. Meanwhile, the charred body of an IDP named “Hilal Tawfiq Hilal” from the city of Bayanun was found in the local council building in Afrin.
In conjunction with the violence and protests in the city of Afrin, protests took place against the electricity company and the local council in Jindires as well, and was faced also with violence and tear gas. As a result, the so-called “Fawaz al-Halif” nicknamed “Abu Khadija Hariji,” from Deir ez-Zor, an armed member of the pro-Turkey “Jaish al-Sharqiya” militia, was shot by the military police, and news of his death was circulated. As a result, the “Jaish Al-Sharqiya Army” militia was mobilized.
Cities and towns of (Al-Bab, Marea, and Soran) witnessed similar protests, and the headquarters of the Electricity Company in Marea and Soran were burned. What is remarkable about the protests is the audacity to raise the slogan “Syria is free, Turks get out of here”. As a result of the protests, electricity was cut off to various areas in the northern countryside of Aleppo.
At two o’clock in the morning, a statement was circulated containing 12 demands of the protestors. Which were as follows:
- To hold accountable those who fired at the protestors from any side.
- Appointing a pro-revolution head of the local council.
- A monitoring committee to monitor service institutions.
- Restructuring the local council and the participation of everyone in it.
- Decision-making in service institutions is based on a popular survey
- Establishment of a committee to monitor supplies and prices.
- All institutions are independent and are not affiliated with any military authority.
- Exempting citizens from local council taxes.
- Preventing decisions to evacuate the homes of the displaced, unless an alternative is secured.
- Hold accountable all those involved in mediation cases for elements from the anti-revolutionary sides.
- Opening the fronts and uniting the factions
- Formation of an independent revolutionary committee whose task is to monitor the mechanism of work of institutions in all their forms.
It is reported that a meeting took place yesterday, Friday, between the so-called “Joint Committee for the Restoration of Rights” with officials from the Directorate of the Electricity Company in the city of Afrin, they are: Mustafa Hanour: The company’s administrative and legal director, Ghassan Kanjo: Electrical Engineer, and Muhammad Abbara: Director of the Electricity Center, al-Mahmoudiya Branch.
The session was adjourned to next Sunday or Monday, meaning no order was issued to solve the problem, ignoring the state of tension and resentment, which could lead to more violence.
