Turkish occupation’s crimes against women in Afrin documented

The Turkish state and its mercenaries have committed terrible crimes against women in Afrin since its occupation until today; according to the statistics of the Human Rights Organization in Afrin, 83 were killed and 1,200 women were kidnapped in Afrin.

9 July, 2021 01:02

AL-SHAHBA - LAILA LORIN

Since its occupation of the Afrin region, the Turkish state and its mercenaries have committed terrible crimes against women in an effort to target and strike the free will of women in all parts of Kurdistan.

On March 18, 2018, the Turkish state occupied the Afrin region with the support of NATO and Russia. During more than three years of occupation, the Turkish occupying state and its mercenaries committed major crimes and violations against women in Afrin.

Member of the Human Rights Organization in Afrin, Nayla Mahmoud, said in this regard that women in Afrin are subjected to major violations and crimes.

Nayla Mahmoud said that the Human Rights Organization in Afrin documented the killing of 83 women at the hands of the occupation army and its mercenaries, including 5 suicide cases of women who committed suicide for fear of falling into the hands of mercenaries.

In addition, 216 women were injured, in addition to 70 cases of rape.

Nayla Mahmoud added, "The organization has also documented, during the last 6 months, kidnapping of 25 women whose fate is still unknown. Among the kidnapped women are two girls: Alia Adnan Juma'a, 13, and Roya Mahmoud Khater, 6, in addition to the 60-year-old woman, Amina Mustafa.

Nine women were also killed, including the child Hana Mustafa (two years old), Zainab Sheikh Daoud, 21 years old, Zainab Ibrahim, 14 years old, and Haifa Sharif Qassem, 21 years old.

Nayla Mahmoud added, “The violations and crimes of the Turkish state have been documented. No one can hide these facts. However, the real crimes are beyond documentation. There are hundreds of Afrin women detained in prisons, raped, beat and tortured. Before the occupation of Afrin, the proportion of Kurds was 90%. %, but this percentage decreased to 25% after the occupation, and this is a great danger. Those who are now resettled in Afrin are from the families of mercenaries who are being resettled instead of the Kurds."

Member of the Diplomatic Relations Committee at Star Congress Suzan Mustafa also shed light on the violations and crimes of the Turkish occupation and its mercenaries against women in Afrin during the last 3 years, and said in this regard: "Women are subjected to daily violations and crimes that exceed all human norms and moral principles. We receive a lot of information daily and painful pieces of news. Afrin witnesses repeated cases of abduction of women under the name of marriage and they are transferred to Turkey. Some women who previously spent prison terms in mercenaries' prisons told us about violations inside prisons, where women are subjected to unbearable brutal practices."

She added, "Women cannot walk around and go outside without a headscarf. According to the information we got over the phone, girls are kidnapped and then their families are blackmailed with pictures and videos to force them to pay money. Many families had to sell their property, while many girls committed suicide. Every day, the severity of violations, killings, torture, suicide, kidnapping and imprisonment escalate. They have seized the money of many women who used to former work in the institutions of the Autonomous Administration. Women are subjected to rape. All these violations are documented by us. Many women have been released after our appeals, but they are being transferred by mercenaries to Turkey."

Regarding the statistics related to violations and crimes against women over the past three and a half years, Suzan Mustafa said: "Since the occupation of Afrin and until now, the fate of 1,200 kidnapped women is still unknown. More than a thousand women were killed and raped, and 99 women were kidnapped and imprisoned in Azaz prison. During the last six months, the killing of 23 women, a forced marriage, and 9 cases of rape have been documented.

Suzan Mustafa ended her speech by saying: Those who claim on the social media that there are no violations in Afrin, we have the documents. Those people who promote these allegations are the ones who participated in the occupation of Afrin and now they support demographic change and participate in the brutal crimes committed against Kurdish women. I call on the international community and all the peoples of the world, especially women, to stand up to this injustice."

J.O

ANHA