The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

Afrin | “Interim Government” calls to cancel “levies imposed on trees”, recognizing one of the Turkish-backed factions’ violations

Aleppo Province – Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: The right commission of the “Defence Ministry” in the “Interim Government” has issued a circular to the Turkish-backed factions controlling Aleppo countryside, preventing the factions from collecting levies imposed earlier on civilians’ fruit-bearing trees in Afrin.

 

In its circular, the “Interim Government” has given the factions a time limit of ten days to recover the money they collected from the farmers in Afrin dubbed “trees protection levies”.

 

This is the first time for the “Interim Government” to recognize a violation practiced by the factions against the people of Afrin since they controlled the area.

 

A few days ago, the Turkish-backed factions imposed various levies on olive trees, up to five USD each, in several areas.

 

On October 22, reliable SOHR sources confirmed that the Turkish-backed factions continued looting olive crops belonging to residents in villages in rural Afrin in the north-western countryside of Aleppo.

 

In Maydan Ikbis, towns and villages in Ma’batli district and other areas in rural Afrin, the factions seized agricultural crops and imposed levies in return for allowing these areas’ residents to harvest their crops.