Attempts to seize people’s properties in Afrin | Turkish-backed civil councils reject power of attorneys given by displaced people to their relatives

Aleppo Governorate – Syrian Observatory for Human Rights:

Violations against the people of Afrin are no longer limited to military factions of the so-called “National Army”, but have become practiced by councils and civil bodies.

In this context, local sources from inside the city of Afrin, which is under the control of Turkish forces and proxy factions, have informed SOHR that the Turkish-backed local councils have issued a public decision, suspending all power of attorneys issued by the Syrian regime’s departments by displaced people from Afrin, who were forced to flee their areas as a result of operation “Olive Branch”, and lived in regime-held areas. The power of attorneys were issued by displaced people from Afrin to their relatives who chose to stay in the city of Afrin and its surrounding areas to manage their properties.

Local councils required residents to issue power of attorneys from Turkey or European countries so that can be recognized. With this unannounced decision, the relatives of the displaced persons from Afrin will not be able to manage the properties of their relatives, and all property belonging to the displaced people will be under the management of the Turkish-backed cvil councils. As well as properties, including shops, houses and land controlled and entirely managed by Turkish-backed factions, mostly belonging to the displaced people of Afrin.