The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

“Olive Branch” areas in August 2022 | 92 kidnappings and arbitrary arrests…44 human rights violations…five family and factional infightings amid escalating security chaos

SOHR calls on the international community to intervene immediately and protect civilians from systematic violations by Turkish-backed factions

Since Turkish forces and their proxy factions captured several areas in north-western Aleppo, namely Afrin canton, after a military operation known as “Olive Branch”, humanitarian crises have been emerging and worsening gradually, with violations, attacks and explosions occurring almost daily. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) has monitored and tracked prominent developments and gross violations in these areas in August 2022, which can be summarised in the following main points:

 

 

Acts of violence leave fatalities

 

In August, SOHR documented the death of 12 people in areas under the control of Turkish forces and factions operating under the banner of “Olive Branch” operation room in the north-western countryside of Aleppo. A breakdown of fatalities is as follows:

 

 -Nine civilians, including a little girl, a child and three women:

 

  • A child was killed by the explosion of old ordnance in Bouzikah village of Jendires district.

 

  • A young man was found dead in unknown circumstances near the waterwheel on the outskirts of Al-Mahmoudiyah neighbourhood in Afrin city.

 

  • A woman was found dead with a rope being tied around her neck inside her husband’s house in Afrin city.

 

  • A little girl and a woman were killed by Turkish shelling that targeted areas where Kurdish forces are deployed, north of Aleppo.

 

  • Four civilians including a woman were killed by Turkish drone attack on an outdoors market in Tel Rifaat city in Aleppo countryside.

 

-Three combatants:

 

  • A member of Al-Hamza Division was shot dead near the Syria-Turkey border in Bulbul district in Afrin countryside.

 

  • Two members of Al-Jabha Al-Shamiyyah faction were killed when the car they were travelling in, near the new highway in Afrin Al-Jadidah neighbourhood, came under direct fire.

 

 

Explosions and infightings

 

“Olive Branch” area witnessed two explosions in August 2022, with the first taking place on August 16 when an unexploded projectile exploded in Bouzikah village in Jendires district in Afrin countryside, north-west of Aleppo. This explosion left a displaced child from Maarat Al-Numan city in Idlib countryside dead, and another child injured.

 

While the second explosion was on August 21 when a medium explosion was heard in Al-Sinaa neighbourhood in Afrin city in northern Aleppo countryside, which was caused by the explosion of an old landmine at a centre where workers were collecting old and used items to sell them later. This explosion caused material damage only.

 

 

The area which is under the control of Turkish forces and their proxy factions in north Aleppo countryside also witnessed five infightings in August, here are further details of these infightings:

 

  • August 5: Four civilians were injured in clashes that erupted between two displaced families in Al-Shawarghah village in Sharan district in Al-Khalidiyah camp, following a disagreement that evolved into clashes with light machineguns.

 

  • August 6: Violent clashes with medium and light machineguns broke out between Al-Hamza Division and Al-Mu’tasim Division in Za’arah village’s neighbourhoods in Bulbul district in Afrin countryside following a rivalry over imposing control of a route used for smuggling people to Turkey. These violent clashes left two members of Al-Mu’tasim Division injured.

 

  • August 6: Fierce clashes with heavy and medium machineguns erupted between two groups of Turkish-backed Al-Sultan Murad faction in Deir Sawan in Sharan district, following disagreements over revenues of human smuggling operations into Turkey.

 

  • August 26: Violent clashes with medium and light machineguns arose between members of a Military Police patrol and Al-Mawali tribesmen in Kokan village in Ma’batli district in Afrin countryside when Military Police tried to arrest a tribesman of Al-Mawali tribe. Al-Mawali tribe seized a Military Police vehicle and arrested the members who were onboard.

 

  • August 27: Violent clashes with heavy and medium machineguns renewed between Al-Mawali tribesmen on one hand and Military Police members and the Third Corps on the other in Kokan village in Maa’batli district over severely beating members of Military Police by Al-Mawali tribesmen and seizing the weapons on their possessions.

 

 

Ongoing heinous crimes and violations

 

As Turkish-backed factions continue their blatant violations daily against the residents who have chosen to stay in their areas over displacement and against people displaced to Afrin canton, SOHR has documented 92 kidnappings and arbitrary arrests of civilians, including three women, by Turkish-backed factions in August. Five people were released after paying ransoms.

 

Furthermore, SOHR has documented over 44 other violations distributed as follows:

 

-13 incidents of selling displaced people’s houses which had been forcibly seized earlier by Turkish-backed factions. The houses were sold at low prices and in US dollars in particular.

 

-Nine incidents of imposition of levies on civilians by factions and military police; They are as follows:

 

  • Five incidents related to the imposition of levies in return for the release of detainees.

 

  • Four incidents of imposing levies ranging from 1,000 to 3,000 USD on farmers and constructors in return for allowing them to construct residential buildings.

 

-14 incidents of felling fruit-bearing trees by factions of Turkish-backed “National Army,” where over 1,605 olive trees were cut down in several areas in villages and districts of Afrin.

 

-A robbery was carried out by Military Police members who stole four mobile phones and 50 grams of gold from a civilian from Shekhorzah village in Bulbul district.

 

-The seizure of 400 olive trees by Al-Sultan Murad faction. The trees are owned by a resident from Kafrum village in Shirawa district.

 

 

SOHR also documented six assaults by various factions of the “National Army” in August; further details are as follows:

 

 

  • August 6: Gunmen of Al-Mawali tribe operating under the banner of Al-Hamza Division severely beat and insulted a resident and his son in Kafr Zeit village, firing bullets in the air to intimidate them to leave their homes, as the civilian had refused to allow a group of shepherds to herd their sheep inside civilians’ homes and stables. Ironically, the military police arrested the civilian and his son for no accusations and transferred them to Jendires district, instead of saving the civilians’ properties.

 

  • August 9: Members of a patrol of Liwaa Al-Samarqand severely beat a resident of Kafr Safra village in Jendires district and took him to the faction’s security post in the same village for unknown charge.

 

  • August 10: Members of Al-Sham Corps severely beat a civilian from Maydanki village in Sharan district for refusing to evacuate his house and resisting the militiamen who tried to seize his properties by force.

 

  • August 10: A man and his son from Afrin were beaten by Military Police officers for refusing to pay levies to Military Police members who were stationed at Al-Qaws checkpoint, when the man and his son were on their way to Azaz to unload stones. Later, the two men were arrested for “abusing and assaulting members of the checkpoint.”

 

  • August 25: Al-Sham Corps members severely beat a civilian from Kabashin village and took over his house by force in order to turn it into military headquarters.

 

  • August 30: Members of Al-Jabha Al-Shamiyyah faction severely beat a man from Manbij, who lives in Afrin, for refusing to pay levies to Al-Jabha Al-Shamiyyah members.

 

 

It seems that violations in “Olive Branch” areas will not stop as long as Turkish forces and their proxies keep breaching all international laws and charters, while no party or international or regional player is exhibiting any willingness to put an end to these “grave” violations, despite SOHR’s repeated warnings about the dreadful humanitarian situation in the region.