Neighborhoods in Silopi under heavy bombardment

[Anthea]

As an onslaught under name of curfew continues in Şırnak's Silopi district for the 20th day, state forces have started a heavy bombardment against the neighborhoods protected by local self-defense units.

Attacks on Barbaros, Başak and Zap neighborhoods have intensified after state forces' continued failure to enter the areas of self-rule where popular resistance led by youths endures with determination.

Residents are trying to find shelter in safe areas as the neighborhoods, which house thousands, are being targeted by heavy fire from tanks and armored vehicles that have surrounded the area under curfew. Many have taken shelter in basements to protect themselves from ongoing attacks to which local units of self-defense are responding.

In the meantime, bodies of 6 civilians killed by state forces are being held in houses and mosques as people are not enabled to bury their dead and are conserving them with ice to avoid decomposition.The names of these murdered civilians, who include three minors, are; Mehmet Mete (10), Axîn Kanat (16), Reşit Eren (17), Şiyar Özbek (25), Hasan Sanır (75) and Seyfettin Sidar (30).

A total of 17 civilians have been killed during the 20 days of the onslaught which is being participated by thousands of police and soldiers who are supported by dozens of tanks and armored vehicles. The ongoing popular resistance in neighborhoods is going on as people continue protecting their areas with trenches and barricades.

On the other hand, state forces continue raiding and plundering civilian houses and properties across the town, most recently in Yeşiltepe neighborhood where civilian Hacı İbrahim Kayek's hardware store has been attacked, raided and plundered by police and soldiers.

Kayek said members of Turkish forces also seized all the goods in his store and another shop near his. He added that police teams raided his neighbor's house and seized their money and golds, in addition to torturing the household for hours. He added that state forces have turned the hospital into a headquarter, and emergency teams are not going to neighborhoods to help the wounded in order not to not risk their own lives.