Provocative attacks by the Turkish state and their allied gangs on villages of eastern al-Bab and western Manbij continue.

Tank and howitzer fire tears down homes and animals perish. The people seek refuge in safe zones, but there is one man who, along with his wife, 2 children and 5 grandchildren, continues his life in the Boxaz village under control of al-Bab Military Council fighters amid tank and artillery fire.

Hesen Heci Musa al-Ali lives in Boxaz village in Arema subdistrict and is determined to not leave the village he spent his 60 years in, despite all the hardships. The Military Council fighters respect all-Ali’s and his family’s decision. They are protecting both the region and the family.

The man stressed he will stay in his village until the end of his life and added: “I won’t let this place go, even if the Turkish state’s artillery fire kills me.”

Al-Ali told that he was born in 1941 in Boxaz village, and lived his childhood, youth and old age in this village. He stated that there were rough days, but the best years of his life were in this village.

“That is why I’m thinking of dying here. No tyranny can deter me from my land. All the peoples on these lands lived as brothers. We want to live as brothers now. But the Turkish state is doing everything they can to ruin this brotherhood, including murder,” said al-Ali, and added that the Turkish state and their allied gangs attacked villages including Boxaz a few days ago.

Al-Ali stated that people’s homes were torn down by the Turkish state’s and their allied gangs’ attacks, which forced the people to leave their villages. He continued: “I didn’t leave, and I won’t leave. I was born here, I will die here. I will stay here with my wife, 2 children and 5 grandchildren. I believe in the Assembly fighters who protect us. These lands were under ISIS invasion for some 3 years. Our lives were destroyed. When Manbij was liberated, the fighters came here and liberated us as well. We celebrated those days like an eid. And now the Turkish state and their allies are trying to enslave us. They won’t achieve their goals. I believe in these fighters who protect us, who break bread with us.”