Turkish-occupied Afrin plagued by theft, displacement, and neglect

Various parts of the Turkish-occupied city of Afrin have witnessed a new wave of violations in the past two weeks, as local sources documented several instances of looting and destruction of property belonging to the original Kurdish residents, carried out by mercenaries affiliated with the Turkish occupation forces and some settlers.

 In the village of Qurt Qulaq in the Sharran district, a number of Turkish-backed mercenaries cut down about twenty olive trees owned by citizen Fareed Welo, in an attack on agricultural wealth—a primary source of livelihood for local residents.

 Last week, as some families of the so-called "Elite Division" mercenaries left the village of Amuro in the Mobato district, homes belonging to civilians were looted and vandalized. Among the affected residents were: Hanan Rifaat Mustafa, Luqman Amin Mustafa, and Ahmad Ahmad Mustafa.

 Local sources also reported that equipment from the olive press owned by citizen Amin Majid Mustafa was stolen by mercenaries, who also threatened others with death should they attempt to claim their rights or raise the issue publicly. The press owner and local residents were warned against stirring public opinion.

 In the same context, the so-called "General Security Apparatus" under Damascus' authority in the occupied countryside of Rajo, Afrin, refused to accept a complaint filed by a number of Kurdish residents from the villages of Darwish and Miska. The complaint was against a mercenary from the so-called “Hamzat Division,” identified as Uqba Ahmad from the village of Ma’arat Hurmah in Idlib, who repeatedly and unjustly grazed his sheep in local farmers’ olive fields.

 According to residents' testimonies, the Hamzat mercenary intentionally assaults agricultural lands without any deterrent. When the residents turned to the General Security to file their complaint, it was rejected under the pretext that the agency lacks the authority to deal with members of Turkish-backed factions.

 Although Damascus announced its presence in Afrin on February 6, many observers see it as a mere "performative gesture" with no tangible results for residents. Turkish occupation mercenaries simply changed their clothing, and no genuine accountability or transitional justice was introduced.

 Last month, the city of Afrin, and its countryside saw further lawless acts, including abductions such as that of citizen Walid Mohammed Mohammed, and violent assaults against civilians—among them Waheed Rashid Ismail, who was physically attacked in the village of Midan Akbas by members of the "Sham Legion." In another case, the village head of Blilko, Mohammed Manan, was beaten by members of the “Civil Police” mercenaries during  looting civilians’ property.

 These recurring incidents highlight the ongoing security challenges facing the population, amid growing community demands for urgent intervention to protect civilians and hold perpetrators accountable.

 a.k

ANHA