afrinpost-Exclusive
A group of young individuals in the occupied city of Azaz have removed and erased the name of the Turkish deputy governor of Kilis from a park sign just days after its inauguration. This incident follows a wave of popular rejection and general dismay over the changing of street names, schools, and public facilities to Turkish language, replacing Arabic, and naming them after Turkish individuals and soldiers.
The incident has sparked mockery and outrage, coming amidst campaigns to remove Arabic signage in various Turkish cities, parallel to the forced deportation of Syrian refugees. Some have commented, “Hypocrisy knows no bounds” while others have labeled it as a form of submission and degradation.
Protesters criticized the measures of the local council and pointed out that there are numerous Arabic alternatives for naming these places. One protester addressed the council members, labeling them as submissive, “To the point that you name gardens and schools after Turks… Why don’t you name your children with Turkish names?… The Turks have occupied us, and you are thinking that you’re in a safe zone, so you’re naming things after Turks and promoting Turkish influence.”
The local council in Azaz had named a public park after the Turkish deputy governor of Kilis, Omar Yilmaz. The council published images on its Facebook page showing Turkish deputy governor Omar Yilmaz alongside council members in front of a sign hanging on the park’s entrance, reading: “Omar Yilmaz Memorial Park.”
According to Syrian Observatory activists, the activist removed the Turkish official’s name from the sign without Turkish authorities’ knowledge. This move comes as Turkish forces, in cooperation with local councils, have changed school and public place names from Arabic to Turkish within the “Euphrates Shield” area, aiming to Turkify the region and erase its identity. However, this has met with significant public discontent and anger among the local population.
In a separate incident, on July 24th, 2023, the civilian police in Al-Bab arrested an individual named Khalil Abu Sheikh on the orders of the Turkish governor. The arrest followed his act of removing the name of a deceased Turkish soldier from a school sign. Abu Sheikh stated on his Facebook account, “As a Syrian citizen, I will remove the name… and it has been removed.”
The school’s original name was “Amina bint Wahb,” but the education directorate in Al-Bab changed it to “Durin Kaskasin.”
