Archaeological sites looting | National Army continues to steal antiquities and relics in Afrin

Ankara-backed factions in “Olive Branch” area continue their violations, excavating and looting monuments in archaeological sites and hills, in search of buried treasures and archaeological relics. In this context, “National Army” factions destroyed “Zindkana” archaeological site with heavy bulldozers. The site is located near the villages of Sindianke and Maskat Tahtani in Jendires district in Afrin countryside.

The hill, like other hills and archaeological sites, has been systematically destroyed by the National Army factions. This archaeological site is not registered in the restrictions of the Syrian Antiquities Directorate. Owing to excavation by the faction, many of the pottery vessels at the archaeological site were destroyed and much of the agricultural land surrounding the site was destroyed.

On May 16, SOHR activists reported that Turkish-backed factions destroyed by machinery an archaeological site of Bishirak which is near Premja village in Maabatli district in search of buried treasures and archaeological relics.

The site was previously bulldozed, affecting the archaeological layers. The area that has been bulldozed is estimated to be nearly 27500 square meters, in addition to the uprooting of dozens of olive trees surrounding the archaeological site.