Turkish-backed mercenaries prevent local residents from harvesting Olives

Yesterday, mercenaries from the Turkish occupation army, operating under the name “Al-Mu’tasim Brigade,” stormed the village of Za’ra in the Bulbul subdistrict, threatening residents who attempted to access their olive fields—especially those who returned to Afrin over the past two years.

The mercenary group claimed ownership of this year’s entire olive season for themselves and their members, under threat of weapons. This move sparked widespread public anger, with no intervention from the interim government, which constantly claims it has taken over administrative control from Turkey and its allied mercenaries.

Several villagers told ANHA correspondent that they had accumulated debts over the past two years to cover land plowing, irrigation, and tree pruning, hoping to repay costs from this season’s harvest.

Residents said that mercenary forces, accompanied by operatives, patrolled the fields to mark properties, conduct surveys, and prevent landowners from accessing their livelihoods until the harvest is completely seized.

When some villagers attempted to lodge complaints with the interim government, they were met with threats: “We’ll take the harvest by force from everyone,” directly insulting the interim authorities, who took no action despite repeated complaints sent to their representatives on the ground.

The interim government announced on February 6 that it had deployed in Afrin and assumed administrative and institutional control from Turkey.

However, many observers consider this move largely symbolic, having achieved little for residents, while accountability for perpetrators remains absent, leaving transitional justice unfulfilled.

a.k

ANHA