Syria- Ghwayran neighborhood’s Displaced families Voices their Demands to Return to their houses after ISIS Defeat 

Location: al-Hasaka – Syria

Language: Arabic 

Voice: Natural

Duration: 00:04:18

Source: A24

Restrictions: A24 Clients

Dateline: 31/01/2022

Storyline

Scores of displaced people from the Ghwayran neighborhood, which has witnessed fierce clashes between the Syrian Democratic Forces and ISIS, organized a protest to demand going back to their houses after SDF declared regaining control over al-Sina’a prison in Hasakah. However, security forces operating in the area won’t allow families to return to their houses due to their ongoing sweeping operations to search for ISIS sleep cells hiding in houses. Eyewitnesses stated that many ISIS bodies are scattered in the streets, but fears that these bodies may hold explosive devices made it impossible for anyone to come near.

Shot list

-SOUNDBITE ( Umm Muhammed- a displaced mother from Ghwayran neighborhood)

We want to go back to our houses. We can’t bear staying in the streets. Yesterday, we stayed in the school and we were informed to leave. However, the security forces didn’t allow me to go back to my house although my neighbors returned to their houses. They claim that some ISIS members are hiding in front of my house. I just want to check on my house. When I first left, it was my choice, but now I’m not allowed to go back. I went back to the school but they told us to go back to our houses and that’s how we ended up in the streets

SOUNDBITE (a displaced man from the Ghwayran neighborhood

 We have been trying for three days to go back to our houses but security forces won’t allow us. There are other ways that lead to the neighborhood but only a few were able to walk them. All of those people want to check on their houses. We can’t bear this chilling cold. SDF announced that they defeated ISIS, why aren’t they allowing us to go back

-SOUNDBITE ( a displaced person from Ghwayran neighborhood

Some of those who escaped during the clashes came back to their houses. Some houses were demolished by bulldozers. There are some corpses laying on the streets but no one is coming near them as they fear they might hold explosive belts

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