In less than 2 months.. Turkish occupation looted 10 ancient hills in occupied Afrin

The Directorate of Antiquities in Afrin canton documented that the Turkish occupation dug and looted the content of 10 archaeological hills in less than two months, and sold it on the black market.

19 February 2021 07:09

Al-Shahba - Alan Rashid

The Turkish occupation and its mercenaries are still committing massacres against the people of occupied Afrin, in conjunction with the bulldozing and looting of archaeological sites and hills in an attempt to obliterate, destroy and steal the antiquities of many civilizations that have taken over the region.

According to the Directorate of Antiquities in Afrin region, and based on satellite images, the directorate documented at the beginning of the new year the theft and looting of the content of 10 ancient hills in occupied Afrin and selling their content on the black market.

In the context, the co-chair of the Directorate of Antiquities in Afrin region, Asmahan Ahmed, said to our agency: "The Turkish occupation and its mercenaries during the aggression on Afrin did not only target the people, but sought to destroy and devastate the hills and archaeological sites with the aim of obliterating and changing the demography of the canton."

She continued, "Despite the lack of capabilities, and no one was allowed to approach the archaeological hills in Afrin, based on satellite images, we were able to document the looting, theft and bulldozing of archaeological sites with heavy machineries."

Destruction and looting of 10 ancient hills

Asmahan Ahmed went on to say, "We were able to document the destruction and looting of 10 ancient hills in Afrin, with the beginning of the new year."

The co-chair of the Directorate of Antiquities in Afrin region mentioned the names of the hills, which are: “Tal Jouqa, Tal Qaqah, Tal Qara Tabah in Afrin city center, Tal Shorba, Tal Abidan, Tal Sinka in Shara district, Tel Halubiya in Janders district, Tal Mistu Hassan and Tal Mistu Hassan Tahtani in Mabata district, and Tel Alamdar in Rajo district. "

Selling them for huge sums

Asmahan Ahmed indicated that they documented huge sums of sale of Afrin antiquities on the black market, stressing that the goal is to change the demography of the region, pointing to the destruction of ancient antiquities such as the sites of Ain Dara and Nabi Huri.

In the conclusion of her speech, Asmahan Ahmed called on all humanitarian organizations and the Security Council to immediately intervene and limit the crimes of the Turkish occupation and its mercenaries, and their plunder of the monuments that embrace the heritage and civilization of the region.

Since its occupation of Afrin in March 2018, the Turkish occupation and its mercenaries have bulldozed dozens of archaeological sites in Afrin and transferred the antiquities they excavated to Turkey, and destroyed those sites by using heavy machinery in excavation operations.

J.O

ANHA