Turkey and the Syrian National Army (SNA) launched attacks against the dam on 8 December 2024. The resistance launched by the peoples of North and East Syria together with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters against the attacks has left 5 months behind. During the resistance, 25 civilians standing guard at the dam were killed and hundreds of civilians were injured. SDF and the peoples continued their resistance against all attacks.

 

Resistance continues at the Tishreen Dam, which meets a large part of the electricity needs of the Euphrates Canton and Heleb in North and East Syria. Mazloum Abdi, General Commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Rohilat Afrin, General Commanding Member of the Women's Defence Units (YPJ) and a delegation from the International Coalition Forces visited the Tishreen Dam on 18 April. 

 

WORK IN PROGRESS

 

The dam, which meets the electricity and water needs of many cities, especially Aleppo and Kobani, became inoperable due to the attacks. The dam, which was repaired last week, gave electricity to Kobani after months as of 11 April. Engineers appointed by the autonomous administration and the interim Damascus government continue to work on the dam, where work and repairs continue unabated. 

 

It is expected that an announcement will be made in the coming days regarding the ceasefire in the vicinity of the dam.

 

 

Journalist Zana Deniz, who followed the resistance in Tishreen, made evaluations on the possible agreement and the latest developments. 

 

THE IMPORTANCE OF TISHREEN

 

Deniz stated that Turkey wanted to capture Tishreen like HTS, which captured Damascus, and that this would mean capturing Aleppo. Stating that capturing the Tishreen Dam would mean leaving Kobani without wated, Deniz said, "Turkey had done the same before by cutting off the water of the Alok Water Station in Haseke during the occupation of Serekaniye. Turkey waged a war for electricity and water in North and East Syria. When it captured Aleppo, it would have done the same thing to the neigbourhoods of Sheikh Makhsud and Eshrefiye."

 

Noting that in the first days of the Tishreen resistance, a 10-man YPJ battalion repelled the attacks and made Turkey and the SNA step back on 10 December 2024, Deniz reminded that the situation in Tişrîn was reversed by the resistance and that this was reflected in the public for the first time with the framing of the murdered journalists Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin. Stating that Turkey made a lot of effort for the dam, Deniz said, "The dam itself suffered great damage in these attacks. However, the resistance continued. The most important area of this resistance was the tunnels."

 

‘THE PEOPLE PERSISTENTLY RESISTED’

 

Reminding that the autonomous administration called for mobilisation after the attacks started, Deniz noted that the peoples in the region resisted against all odds. Noting that repairs are continuing at the dam and electricity has started to be supplied to the cities, Deniz said that there are various negotiations on Tishreen and that there is nothing clear yet. 

"Some content was circulating in various media organs that an agreement had been made, but there is nothing yet. An 8-point agreement was signed. The work on this continues, albeit slowly. We will see the reflections of this in the field in the following processes," he added.  

 

Noting that the internal security forces are defending Tishreen together with the SDF, Deniz said that in a possible new agreement, internal security forces will again provide control and security here, just like in Aleppo, a system in which the soldiers of the Syrian Army will provide external security is being considered. Deniz stressed: "According to the latest information we have received, the dam will be a neutral zone and will be protected by internal security forces. The police officers of the Syrian army are also expected to provide security here. There have been some partial agreements, but some issues have not yet been fully agreed upon. After the agreement is reached, the peoples in resistance will leave with the announcement to be made by the autonomous administration. On the other hand, the work of the engineers still continues. The resistance of the people reduced the attacks and made the dam operational." 

 

MA / Ceylan Şahinli