Looting, desecration of sacred sites in occupied Afrin, Manbij

In a new wave of crimes and violations, the Turkish occupation and its mercenaries persist in looting and desecrating holy sites in the occupied Syrian territories, especially Afrin and Manbij, amid international indifference and silence.

According to local sources, on Thursday, June 5, 2025, settlers in occupied Afrin stole Eid al-Adha sacrificial animals from their owners.

As some settlers begin to leave occupied Afrin, local sources have revealed an organized campaign of looting targeting home infrastructure such as doors, windows, and electrical cables, personal belongings like furniture and household appliances, as well as public property, including agricultural equipment and construction stones.

In addition, a mosque in the village of Qurna in the Bulbul district was looted on June 3. Turkish-backed “Sultan Murad” mercenaries stole items from the mosque, including solar panel batteries and other religious property. They also reportedly stole most of the village’s vineyards and the solar batteries that powered the local water well, according to the Afrin-Syria Human Rights Organization.

In a crime that violates the dignity of the dead and the history of Syrians, armed groups affiliated with the Turkish occupation stole marble stones from the city’s martyr cemeteries and deliberately vandalized the graves.

Local human rights organizations affirm that, despite the gravity of these violations, the international powers remain completely silent, which encourages the Turkish occupation to continue its policy of cultural and demographic cleansing that has persisted for seven years.

Residents of the region have called on international human rights organizations to take urgent action, on media outlets to expose these crimes, and on global powers to fulfill their ethical responsibilities.

These incidents represent yet another chapter in the ongoing daily suffering of the people living under Turkish occupation and its mercenaries.

A-H 

ANHA