The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

Ongoing violations in Afrin | “Al-Jabha Al-Shamiyyah” arrests displaced family from Daraa and beat the father brutally

Aleppo province: SOHR activists have reported that militiamen of “Al-Jabha Al-Shamiyyah” stationed at a checkpoint in Afrin countryside arrested a civilian, his wife and his children who have been displaced from Daraa city, while they attempting to cross into “Euphrates Shield” area from Daraa with the help of smugglers. “Al-Jabha Al-Shamiyyah” militiamen took the family to the notorious prison of Kafr Jannah in Sharan district and beat the father brutally for “his frequent demands to release his wife and children.”

 

According to SOHR sources, the civilian is a former commander of opposition factions, and he left Daraa city with his family, heading to Idlib province with the help of smugglers, but he was arrested by Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham and was held for hours. As soon as HTS had released the family, they headed to “Euphrates Shield” area where they were arrested at “Al-Jabha Al-Shamiyyah” checkpoint. The family was released later, after mediation by commanders of “Al-Jabha Al-Shamiyyah,” who are descended from Daraa.

 

SOHR sources had reported that unidentified gunmen kidnapped a civilian from Aleppo, on August 1, while he was attempting to cross from regime-controlled areas into “Euphrates Shield” areas with the help of smugglers. The kidnappers threatened to kill the civilian if his family refused to pay a ransom of 5,000 USD.

 

While on August 2, members of a Turkish Intelligence patrol arrested an employee in Jarabulus’s civil registry for “making fake IDs for people from areas outside the control of Turkish forces and their proxy factions in the northern countryside of Aleppo.”

 

Turkish Intelligence later released the civilian, as there was no evidence of his involvement in forgery.