The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

Tension in Afrin area after clashes between an Islamic brigade and an Islamic front in a renew of rivalries between factions of the “Olive Branch”

Aleppo Province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored the return of clashes between factions of “Olive Branch” operation in Afrin area in the northwestern countryside of Aleppo, and in the details monitored by the Syrian Observatory: the sounds of gunfire were heard in Kafr Jannah area in Afrin countryside, intersected sources said that it was caused by clashes between an Islamic brigade and al-Shamiyyah front, amid tension in the area and attempts by factions to defuse the tension and conflict between both parties, and the Syrian Observatory published in early February 2019 that the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored tension in Jandairis town, which is controlled by “Olive Branch” Operation Forces and the Turkish Forces in Afrin countryside in the northwestern sector of Aleppo Province, and intersected sources confirmed that the tension coincides with clashes between Nour al-Din al-Zenki movement, which was recently expelled by Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham from the western countryside of Aleppo and its areas of presence in Aleppo countryside, and between Ahrar al-Sharqiyyah gathering whose majority of fighters are from Deir Ezzor province, amid alert between fighters of both parties, while factions in the area are trying to calm the tension and end the clashes in the area, and  the Syrian Observatory published on the 29th of January 2019 that tension prevails Afrin city and Basutah area which is under the control of the “Olive Branch” factions supported by Turkey, in the northwest sector of Aleppo countryside, where the Syrian Observatory learned that the tension between al-Shamiyyah Front and al-Hamzat Division escalated to clashes and exchange of targeting between both of them by shells in Afrin city and al-Basutah area, which sparked discontent among residents of the area and people who live in it, due to the continued rivalry between the factions operating there, while SOHR received information about resolving the disagreement between both parties through mediators and elders in the area and the Syrian Observatory published last night the factions of Operation “Olive Branch” are still rivaling between each other’s in Afrin city and its countryside in the north-western sector of Aleppo countryside, where the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored tension between the faction “al-Jabha al-Shamiyyah” and the faction “al-Hamzat Division” in Basutah area in Afrin countryside, and in the details obtained by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights; a column of al-Jabha al-Shamiyyah stormed Basutah area which is under the control of al-Hamzat Division against the backdrop of altercations and disagreement at one of the checkpoints of al-Hamzat Division with one of the commanders of al-Jabha al-Shamiyyah, where meetings are being held now between the both parties through mediators, and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, published hours ago, that in Afrin no place for its inhabitants, no diaries without violations, almost all people of the area sleep on a violation and wake up to another, in the face of this shameful continued international silence, where the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored a faction working in the Sheikh Hadid area in the countryside of Afrin, forcing a gathering of people from the villages and areas of Sheikh Hadid, Kondi Khalil, Jaqlah, and Qermetlaq, who were forcibly recruited during Kurdish forces’ control of the area and others who were members of local councils, where they gathered tens of people and told them that they would pay a thousand dollars, but the reasons for imposing the royalty were not known, after these people had previously paid 3000 dollars, and when the residents refused this violation, the al-Amshat Gathering informed the Mukhtars of the area that they would pay by force, also a group of al-Amshat Gathering hit a member of the local councils because he exposing their practices and violations during the presence of a Turkish delegation in Sheikh Hadid area, they also tortured a man, a young male, and one of the medical staff from the residents of Sheikh Hadid area on various pretexts, which injured them badly in their bodies, they also carried out more arrests against residents of Bulbula countryside under different pretexts, the most important of which is cooperation with the Kurdish Forces and affiliation to them previously.

The Syrian Observatory published on the 24th of January 2019 that the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored a series of new breaches by the Turkish-backed factions of the “Olive Branch”, in Afrin city which is under their control in the northern sector of Aleppo countryside, and in the detains of the incidents documented by the Syrian Observatory; members of the National Army of the Olive Branch, stole thousands of trees of the olive harvest from one of the villages in Bulbula township in the countryside of Afrin city, where these lands are owned by citizens who have been displaced from the area, and in Bafalyun village of Sharran township, the faction of Al-Jabha Al-Shamiyyah continues to prevent the natives of the village from returning or entering their villages and houses, while a part of one of the houses was collapsed in which a mosque was constructed inside, and in Maabatli township, the Syrian Observatory monitored that gunmen of Al-Jabha Al-Shamiyyah have beaten an old man after he refused to give them a royalty of 8 tanks of olive oil or its cash equivalent, and the breaches were not limited to be carried out against those remaining of Afrin’s locals, but the SOHR also documented that unidentified gunmen beat the “chairman of the committee of Qalamoun’s towns” who has been inhabited in Afrin city, where money in his possession was stolen as well as documents and laptops, then they escaped.