Ongoing violations | National Army continue its search for treasures and antiques at new archaeological site in Maabatli district
Aleppo province: After archaeological sites and archaeological hills were destroyed in several locations in Afrin, National Army factions have brought heavy machinery and bulldozers to search for relics and archaeological treasures and antiquities in a new archaeological site known as “Al-Jouz” archaeological well.
Turkish-backed “National Army,” started to dig and destroy the archaeological site of Bir Al-Jouz, which is located west of Marjeh village, next to the temple road between the district centre and Barijah, which is administratively affiliated to Maabatli district.
The site was nearly 5 metre high from its surrounding. It was planted with olive trees dating back to different periods of time. However. It has been subjected to excavation and bulldozing by Turkish forces and factions loyal to them at the end of the year (2019). The faction had uprooted many olive trees and destroyed farmlands.
On January 16, SOHR activists reported that Turkish-backed factions of “National Army” destroyed the remainder of Ain Diba hill which is located five kilometres to the north western of Afrin city.
Ain Diba hill is registered at the Syrian Ministry of Culture and General Administration of Antiques and Syrian museums based on Article no. 244, in 1981.
It is worth noting that the hill was destroyed by heavy machinery and bulldozers of the “National Army”, where most of the slope of Acropolis “the high city” was destroyed in addition to destruction of archaeological layers, in order to loot antiques and archaeological discoveries during the past three years.
The destroyed area is estimated to be 6,000 meters square.
On January 13, SOHR activists reported that members of the “National Army” removed the remainders of Tel Mirsawa hill by heavy machinery, searching for antiques.
The hill is located western to Mirsawa village and 35 kilometres north to Afrin city, near the Syrian-Turkish borders.
It is worth noting that the hill was subjected to drilling operations with heavy machineries and bulldozers, after the Turkish factions and their proxies took control over Afrin city in 2018, where the hill was completely destroyed by ongoing drilling operations in addition to destruction of surrounding agricultural lands, sources estimated the area that was destroyed was nearly 3500 meter square.