Violations in Afrin | Turkish-backed factions loot properties, fell trees and impose royalties

Aleppo province: SOHR activists have monitored ongoing violations by Turkish-backed factions in Afrin such as illegal sales and looting civilians’ properties by force, in addition to felling trees to sell them as heating logs.

SOHR sources reported that Al-Sultan Murad faction felled nearly 90 olive trees during the past days in Midanki village in Shiran district, which belonged to six civilians from the village.

Al-Hamza Division felled nearly 600 olive trees which belonged to five displaced civilians from Kaimar village in Shirawa district, Ma’rata in Afrin countryside and Darkira in Ma’batly district, in addition to felling 24 trees in Kafr Zait village in Jinderes district which belonged to two civilians from the same village.

Al-Sham Legion, which is affiliated to Turkish Intelligence and controls Biskah village in Rajo district, felled down 70 olive trees to sell them as heating logs.

On the same context, Al-Mo’tassem faction sold seven residential apartments in Al-Ashrafiyah neighbourhood to displaced civilians from Idlib, each for 800 U.S dollars after taking over them by force.

While a displaced civilian from Al-Ghouta Al-Sharqiyah took over a store by force which belonged to a woman from Ain Hajr in Ma’batly district.

It is worth noting that a Military Police checkpoint on Rajo road imposed royalties for 200 U.S dollars on big trucks carrying looted logs, and 100 U.S dollars on smaller agricultural cars carrying logs, to allow them to pass through the checkpoint.

In Afraziyah village in Ma’batly district, Luwaa Al-Shamal faction imposed three dollars as monthly royalties for each sheep, to allow displaced shepherds to graze in civilians’ fields in Afraziyah village.