By Muhammed Misto and Adham Kako
Afrin, Syria/ANKARA
Anadolu Agency has filmed the terrifying moments of the civilians targeted by YPG/PKK terrorists in an Afrin village in northwestern Syria on March 9.
The footage -- captured by Humammed Hac Mustafa, a freelancer associated with Anadolu Agency -- shows the terror group bombing a shelter used by around 30 civilians, including children, in Maryamayn village. At least 10 civilians were injured in the attack.
The incident came just after Turkish military and Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters liberated the strategic village from YPG/PKK-Daesh terrorists as part of Operation Olive Branch.
In the footage, the villagers can also be seen running away in different directions in the midst of dust cloud following the attack and trying to find their family members and their children in panic.
While capturing the panic moments, the journalist Mustafa can also be seen helping the evacuation of civilians from the shelter.
The footage also showed an injured girl getting into a vehicle to go to the hospital.
Recalling the incident, Mustafa said: “As part of the Operation Olive Branch, I was filming together with Free Syrian Army [members] in the wake of the liberation of the village. I was carrying a “GOPRO” camera on my forehead.
“Civilians hiding at homes and shelters started going out gradually after Free Syrian Army and Turkish Armed Forces liberated the village. They were going out in order to meet their needs. FSA and Turkish army were helping them.”
“A rocket targeted the shelter directly,” he said adding: “Children were scared so much. Free Syrian Army forces with support of the Turkish military arranged ambulances to be sent to the scene. Necessary treatment was given to the injured at hospital. Fortunately, nobody died," he added.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Aisha Homsi, one of the villagers who was injured by a rocket shell, said: “When the clashes started, we went down into a shelter together with some families. We got scared of the clashes inside the village,”
“When we came out from the basement to salute Free Syrian Army after we thought the clashes had ended, a rocket targeted us suddenly,” Homsi said, adding: “Many civilians were injured as a result of the attack. I was among those injured. I got my nose injured.”
Ali Muyesser, another local in the village, also recalled the frightening moments following the attack. “We had gone to the shelter due to the conflicts in the village. We were around 30 people.”
“My mother and some children got injured by the attack," he added.
Maryamayn village is home to around 10,000 civilians, whose majority consists of Arabs.
