An aid convoy escorted by Russian military vehicles wanted to distribute good and supplies to the displaced people of Afrin who are staying in Wahshi village of the Shehba Canton.
The residents, most of whom are from Afrin and had to leave their homes during the Turkish military invasion, gathered around the vehicles of Russian and Syrian forces and expressed their protests. The people sent back the convoy from the area, chanting “We don’t want alms, we want Afrin”.
Displaced residents of Afrin pointed out Russian responsibility in the invasion of Afrin, saying; “Now they try to deceive us giving us alms.”
The occupation of Afrin by the Turkish military and jihadist terrorist groups in March 2018 was preceded by weeks of bombing of the civilian population by the Turkish Air Force. Finally, the People’s and Women’s Defense Units YPG/YPJ and the Autonomous Administration decided to evacuate the population in order to avoid total destruction.
The airspace over the western and northwestern parts of Syria, including Afrin, is controlled by Russia. With the opening of the airspace for the Turkish bombing and the withdrawal of Russian military from Afrin, Moscow in January 2018 gave the green light for the attack on the self-governing canton.