killing of over 778 civilians, 105 women in occupied Afrin documented

The Human Rights Organization Afrin - Syria issued a statement to the public today, marking the eighth anniversary of Afrin's occupation by the Turkish state. The statement revealed statistics of crimes committed by the Turkish occupation, stating: "An eighth year is added to the criminal record of the Turkish occupation in the Afrin region."

On January 20, 2018, the Turkish state and armed Syrian factions launched their brutal assault on the Afrin region under the pretext of protecting national security, carrying out indiscriminate bombing across the region, which led to the destruction of infrastructure, the forcible displacement of the indigenous population, and the occupation of Afrin on March 18, 2018, using all kinds of air and ground weapons, including internationally banned ones, with regional and international complicity in support of this military operation, which served their political and economic interests under the so-called "Olive Branch Operation."

Since the first day of the Turkish occupation of Afrin, violations against civilians, especially Kurds, have dominated the public scene. Immoral and illegal actions were committed against the remaining inhabitants of the region. Under the Turkish aggression on Afrin, hundreds of thousands of the original inhabitants were forcibly displaced from their homes, fearing massacres during the attacks.

According to statistics, more than 300,000 civilians have been displaced since March 18, 2018, and the forced displacement continues under pressure from the Turkish occupation and the Syrian armed factions loyal to it. This is aimed at resettling families from various conflict zones in Syria, particularly families of militants who rejected reconciliation with the Syrian state, leading to ongoing demographic changes in the Afrin region.

By the first years of the occupation, the Kurdish population in Afrin dropped to less than 23%, marking one of the largest demographic changes Syria has witnessed since the beginning of the crisis in 2011, based on an agreement between Turkey and certain regional and international powers.

More than 700,000 settlers have been relocated to the villages and towns of Afrin from conflict zones in Syria, including over 500 families from Palestinian Arabs in 1948. Due to overcrowding, dozens of camps and nearly 47 settlements have been established to accommodate the population influx.

Turkey has been attempting to change Afrin's identity and landmarks by renaming streets, squares, public facilities, and hospitals, raising the Turkish flag over schools and public buildings, and changing the name of Nowruz Square to Salahuddin. In some cases, the name was completely removed.

More than 47 settlements have been built, such as "Kuwait Rahma," "Shamiya Village," and "Basma Village," with support from Turkish, Qatari, and Kuwaiti associations (e.g., Al-Bayan Qatari-Turkish Association, Dignity Living Association, Palestinian 1948, and others).

Along with changing the names of strategic and Kurdish places to Ottoman names, Turkish flags and images of Erdogan were placed everywhere, on signage in every village, town, and city center. Turkish language was introduced in schools, and the Turkish flag was worn on students' uniforms.

More than 64 schools have been destroyed, either partially or completely, depriving more than 50,000 students of education, with some schools converted into military headquarters and detention centers.

The name of Afrin Hospital was written in Turkish, replacing the Kurdish and Arabic versions, and Turkish signs were placed on stores and streets. Additionally, the Turkish occupation targeted sacred places, destroying Yazidi shrines in Yazidi villages.

As part of the demographic change, the Turkish occupation forced civilians to issue Turkish identity cards within the occupied Syrian territories, abolished the use of the Syrian currency, and replaced it with Turkish lira. Similar changes were made to the Syrian telecommunications network in Afrin. One of the most notable practices by the Turkish occupation and its mercenaries was the rise in kidnappings, killings, torture, and sexual violence, often driven by vengeful motives, demanding ransom money to further pressure and extort the locals for forced displacement, turning Afrin into a large prison resembling Guantanamo, governed by the law of the jungle.

Over 10,208 civilians were kidnapped during eight years of occupation, and about a quarter of them remain missing. Many of those released were freed after paying ransoms, and kidnapping for ransom has become a profitable business for the mercenaries.

Regarding the situation of women, 105 cases of murder were documented, including 14 suicides and 74 cases of sexual assault. More than 1,000 women were kidnapped, suffering various forms of physical and psychological torture, including sexual violence during their detention. There were also cases of forced marriages, including to minors, to prevent them from being kidnapped and exploited.

A total of 778 civilians were killed, including 682 due to Turkish bombing and attacks by Syrian factions aligned with Turkey, and 96 under torture. More than 762 individuals were injured, including around 345 children and 225 women.

Approximately one million olive trees and other forest trees were cut down, and more than 30,000 trees were burned. Additionally, over a third of the agricultural land, around 12,000 hectares, was burned since the occupation began.

Thousands of homes belonging to forcibly displaced civilians were seized, and dozens were turned into prisons, military headquarters, or used for trade.

The Turkish occupation forces also took over olive harvests, exporting them to Turkey through the "Hamam Border Crossing" in Jandiras, a crossing established in 2019 to facilitate the shipment of olive products and looted goods, which were sold as Turkish products in international markets like Spain and the USA.

Many historical sites listed by UNESCO, such as the "Ain Dara Temple," "Nabi Hori," "Dudria Cave," and "Mar Maroun's Tomb," were destroyed during the attacks on Afrin.

According to Afrin's Directorate of Antiquities, there are around 75 archaeological mounds in the region, and the Turkish occupation forces and their militias have excavated most of these mounds searching for artifacts.

Afrin's Directorate of Antiquities also reported the destruction of over 59 archaeological sites, mounds, and warehouses, along with more than 28 religious shrines of various sects and religions. Several cemeteries were also bulldozed, with one turned into a livestock market.

The Turkish occupation forces and their affiliated militias have seized over 10,000 homes and 7,000 commercial shops in Afrin city alone, in addition to the surrounding villages and towns.

The violence of the Turkish occupation and its mercenaries did not stop there, they continued to target areas in Shahba, bombing the region almost daily until December 2, 2024, causing a second wave of displacement to Northern and Eastern Syria in an attempt to terrorize the displaced and force them to leave Afrin again.

As a human rights organization, we urge all global human rights and humanitarian organizations, especially the United Nations, to intervene immediately to save the remaining dignity of humanity in Afrin. We demand pressure on the Turkish occupying state to withdraw from all the areas it occupies in northern Syria, and to secure the safe return of the displaced to their homes and villages according to the fifth clause of the agreement signed between the Syrian Interim Government and the Syrian Democratic Forces on March 10.

We also demand accountability for all those responsible for the violations and crimes against the people of Afrin and the Syrian people in general, regardless of their identity, so that they face justice and achieve international accountability and justice for the victims.

A-H

ANHA