Afrin after 8 years: changed identity, awaiting return

Today marks the eighth anniversary of the occupation of the city of Afrin on March 18, 2018, by the Turkish state and its affiliated armed groups, following attacks launched on January 20 of the same year on the city and its countryside, which lasted for 58 days. During this period, the people of Afrin, alongside the People’s Protection Units (YPG) and the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ), put up what was described as a heroic resistance.

Afrin geographically and historically

The Afrin region, historically known as “Çiyayê Kurmênc,” is located in the far northwest of Syria. It has deep Kurdish historical, geographical, and cultural roots. Before the occupation, Kurds made up approximately 98% of its population. However, after eight years of occupation, their proportion has dropped to less than 25%, with between 300,000 and 350,000 Kurdish residents forcibly displaced from their villages, towns, and the city of Afrin.

Over these eight years, Afrin has remained present in media and human rights reports due to widespread violations attributed to Turkey and its affiliated factions, most notably al-Amshat and al-Hamzat groups. These violations include killings, kidnappings, arbitrary detention, and torture, in addition to the destruction of forests and the cutting down of olive trees considered a symbol of Afrin’s identity and memory, which have been documented by international organizations and the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria.

The city has also undergone linguistic, cultural, and geographical changes. Prominent landmarks that reflected the Kurdish identity of the region and its inhabitants were removed and replaced with Turkish symbols. Turkish flags and images of the Turkish president were raised in institutions, street and square names were changed to Turkish ones, and the Kurdish language was marginalized in education and administration, in what is described as a clear attempt to erase the city’s cultural identity.

Forced displacement and demographic change

In this context, human rights activist Ibrahim Sheikho, director of the Human Rights Organization in Afrin – Syria, stated: “After the occupation of Afrin in 2018, we are now entering the ninth year of continued occupation of the city, during which serious violations have been committed with the aim of altering Afrin’s demographic structure.”

Sheikho pointed out that the intention to enact demographic change was reflected in statements by the Turkish president prior to the military operation, claiming that Kurds made up 35% of Afrin’s population, whereas it is widely known that Kurds constituted over 97% of the population.

He added that the political aim of such statements was to erase Afrin’s identity, known as “Çiyayê Kurmênc,” and that during the invasion, efforts were made to forcibly displace the remaining Kurdish population.

He explained that between 300,000 and 350,000 Kurdish residents of Afrin were forcibly displaced to Aleppo, Shahba, and area in North and East Syria.

He further revealed that in 2023, following the devastating earthquake that struck the region, statistics showed that Arabs and Turkmen had been resettled in Afrin to the extent that they constituted between 70% and 75% of the population. More than 700,000 people mostly Arabs and some Turkmen were resettled, along with 500 Palestinian families, while the Kurdish population decreased to around 25%.

Violations during the attacks

He stated that 600 people were killed during the attacks on Afrin, including 95 children and more than 100 women, and that 72 cases of rape or sexual harassment were recorded.

Transformation of Afrin’s identity

Sheikho noted that the city’s identity has been completely transformed, with Turkish identity imposed and councils linked to Turkey established. He added that Afrin’s archaeological heritage was looted and destroyed: 59 archaeological sites were damaged and their contents stolen, including notable sites such as Nabi Huri Castle, Huri Castle, and the Marmaron site.

He also reported that 28 religious shrines belonging to Muslims and Yazidis were destroyed or looted, in addition to hundreds of other sites that continue to be excavated.

Destruction of Afrin’s environment

On the environmental level, Sheikho revealed that more than one million olive trees were cut down, over 50,000 were burned, and more than 100,000 were uprooted and transferred to Turkey, where their wood was sold in markets.

He added that Afrin’s olive production was sold on international markets under the supervision of the Turkish Minister of Agriculture, via the Hammam crossing into the Iskenderun region. An agricultural chamber named “Olive Branch” was established, through which Afrin olive oil was marketed internationally as Turkish oil, including in Spain and other countries. Around 90,000 tons of olive oil were reportedly seized from Afrin, with an additional 50,000 tons taken in subsequent years due to reduced production.

Stripping Afrin of its Kurdish language

In the cultural and linguistic sphere, Sheikho stated that Afrin was stripped of its language. Arabic and Turkish became the official languages, while Kurdish was reduced to an optional subject taught for only two hours per day. Even during those hours, there were no teachers available, nor was there support provided. Additionally, 65 teachers were dismissed or abducted in what was described as an effort to instill fear and prevent the teaching of the Kurdish language.

Construction of 47 settlements

Since the occupation, Turkey has pursued a policy of building settlements to alter the city’s demographic composition. Sheikho stated: “Forty-seven settlements have been built in Afrin, though this number may not be exact housing Arabs from Deir ez-Zor, Aleppo, Idlib, and other regions. Palestinian organizations also participated under the pretext of assisting the Syrian people, in addition to other settlements built by Kuwaiti and Qatari organizations under the supervision of the Turkish AFAD organization.”

According to Sheikho, more than 10,000 people have been detained or abducted, most of whom were later released. However, the fate of around 2,000 individuals remains unknown, including women and girls, and it is believed they are held in prisons in Turkey and Syria.

He added: “Last year, around 600 people were transferred to al-Rai prison. It is now said that the prison has been emptied, with reports suggesting they were moved to al-Houla prison in Homs to conceal their whereabouts, in order to claim that no detainees are being held. However, there is no confirmed information.”

Lack of accountability

Sheikho explained that in recent years, case files documenting these violations have been submitted to international accountability mechanisms, and reports have classified these acts as war crimes and crimes against humanity. He called for continued investigation and prosecution of those responsible in accordance with the 1949 Geneva Conventions and the Rome Statute of 1998.

He emphasized that the international community bears responsibility for holding perpetrators accountable and compensating victims, describing this as both a moral and legal obligation.

A long-awaited return

Hopes for return were renewed following the January 29, 2026 agreement, which stipulates the return of displaced persons to their cities and villages. On March 10, a convoy of around 400 families arrived in Afrin, where they were warmly received. This step marked the beginning of a new phase toward ending displacement and restoring the city to its original inhabitants.

According to information obtained from the Afrin and Shahba Displaced Council, approximately 12,000 displaced families in Rojava are awaiting return to Afrin.

Sheikho noted that many settlers who came to Afrin from various Syrian regions have returned to their areas, although some Arabs from Deir ez-Zor remain. Nevertheless, most of Afrin’s original residents wish to return, and estimates suggest that Kurds now make up over 77% of the population, while the remaining Arab population does not exceed 25%.

He also pointed out that some settlers occupying Kurdish homes are demanding money in exchange for vacating them, adding: “Residents of Afrin have been warned not to pay any money to anyone.”

In conclusion, Ibrahim Sheikho expressed hope for the resolution of the displacement issue, stating: “It is an important step and a historic victory for people to return to their city and their land the land of their fathers and grandfathers restore Afrin’s identity, and revive care for the olive tree, which symbolizes peace.

ANHA