“Euphrates Shield” area and surroundings in 2022 | 221 fatalities in acts of violence…52 violations and over 100 infightings and explosions amid rampant security chaos
SOHR renews its appeals to the international community to protect civilians in “Euphrates Shield” areas from chaos, insecurity, and violations of Turkish-backed factions
Since Turkish forces and their proxy factions captured several areas in Aleppo after a military operation known as “Euphrates Shield,” humanitarian crises have been emerging and worsening gradually, with violations, attacks and explosions occur almost daily. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) has monitored and tracked 2022’s prominent developments in “Euphrates Shield” and its surrounding areas, which could be summarised in the following main points:
Acts of violence leaves scores of fatalities
In 2022, SOHR activists documented the death of 221 people and the injury of over 338 civilians and non-civilians in areas under the control of Turkish forces and factions operating under the banner of “Euphrates Shield” operations room in the northern, eastern and north-eastern countryside of Aleppo. The fatalities’ breakdown is as follows:
-121 civilians, including 28 children and ten women:
- 40 civilians, including three women and eight children, were killed by the regime and Kurdish forces.
- 17 civilians, including a child and two women, were killed by factions and indiscriminate gunfire.
- 21 civilians, including five women and ten children, were killed in homicides.
- 14 civilians, including a woman and five children, were killed in explosions.
- 15 civilians, including two children, were killed in family infightings.
- Seven men were shot dead by unidentified gunmen.
- Three civilians, including a child, died from unintentional firearm.
- One man died under torture in a faction’s prison.
- One man died under torture in a regime prison.
- A child died of hypothermia due to the freezing temperature.
- A man was shot dead by the Turkish border guard forces “Jandarma.”
-84 Combatants:
- Ground bombardment by SDF, Kurdish and regime forces: 33
- Infightings: 25
- Gunfire by unidentified gunmen: 18
- Explosions: Seven combatants, including five commanders.
- Clashes with ISIS: One
-Eight Turkish soldiers were killed in Kurdish ground bombardments.
-Five armed men were killed in family and tribal infightings.
-Two ISIS leaders were killed by an International Coalition airstrike on Jarabulus city in east Aleppo countryside.
-A Man was killed by the explosion of a booby-trapped motorbike in Al-Bab city.
Here is a monthly breakdown of fatalities in acts of violence documented by SOHR in “Euphrates Shield” area and its surroundings in 2022:
-January: Ten people:
- Six civilians, including three children.
- Three military personnel.
- An unidentified person.
-February: 28 people:
- 17 civilians.
- 11 military personnel.
-March: Eight people”
- Six civilians, including two children and a woman.
- Two military personnel.
-April: 23 people:
- Three civilians, including a woman.
- 17 military personnel.
- Three Turkish soldiers.
-May: Five people:
- Two civilians: A man and a woman.
- Two military personnel.
- One Turkish soldier.
-June: 18 people:
- Ten civilians, including two children and a young woman.
- Eight military personnel.
-July: 16 people:
- Five civilians, including a child and a young woman.
- Five military personnel.
- Four armed men.
- Two Turkish soldiers.
-August: 27 people:
- 22 civilians, including a woman and eight children.
- Five military personnel.
-September: 20 people:
- 11 civilians, including a woman and two children.
- Nine military personnel.
-October: 32 people:
- 16 Civilians, including two women and four children.
- 13 military personnel.
- Two ISIS leaders.
- One Turkish soldier.
-November: 16 people:
- 11 civilians, including two children.
- Three military personnel.
- An armed man.
- One Turkish soldier.
-December: 18 people:
- 12 civilians, including two women and four children.
- Six military personnel.
Infighting and explosions
The “Euphrates Shield” area and its surroundings in the northern, eastern and north-eastern countryside of Aleppo saw 56 factional, family and tribal infighting and armed attacks in 2022. The infightings and attacks left dozens injured and 45 people dead; they are as follows:
- 15 civilians, including two children.
- 25 combatants.
- Five armed men.
The monthly distribution of these infightings is as follows:
- January: 2
- February: 2
- March: 2
- April: 17
- May: 1
- June: 6
- July: 3
- August: 3
- September: 6
- October: 6
- November: 3
- December: 5
Also, in 2022, “Euphrates Shield” area and its surroundings in the northern, eastern and north-eastern countryside of Aleppo experienced 46 explosions of landmines, IEDs and bomb attacks. These explosions left 22 people dead; they are as follows:
- 14 civilians, including a woman and five children.
- Seven military personnel, including five commanders.
- A man was who was riding a motorcycle bomb in Al-Bab city.
Here is the monthly distribution of these explosions:
- January: 4
- February: 8
- March: 4
- April: 5
- May: 4
- June: 6
- July: 6
- August: 2
- September: 3
- October: 2
- November: No explosions were documented
- December: 2
Arrests and kidnaps
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) has documented the forcible/arbitrary arrest of over 153 people, including five women, and the kidnapping of at least 23 people, including two women, in and around “Euphrates Shield” area in 2022.
The monthly distribution of arrests and kidnaps, in accordance with SOHR statistics, is as follows:
-January:
- Arrests: 50 people, including four women.
- Kidnaps: Four people, including a woman.
-February:
- Arrests: Three people.
- Kidnaps: No kidnappings documented.
-March:
- Arrests: Nine people.
- Kidnaps: Three people.
-April:
- Arrests: Seven people.
- Kidnaps: Three people.
-May:
- Arrests: 22 people.
- Kidnaps: One person.
-June:
- Arrests: Four people, including four women.
- Kidnaps: No kidnappings documented.
-July:
- Arrests: Three people, including a woman.
- Kidnaps: One person.
-August:
- Arrests: 18 people.
- Kidnaps: One person.
-September:
- Arrests: Five people.
- Kidnaps: Three people.
-October:
- Arrests: 11 people.
- Kidnaps: One person.
-November:
- Arrests: 17 people.
- Kidnaps: Three people, including a woman.
-December:
- Arrests: Four people.
- Kidnaps: Three people.
Violations
Beside arrests and kidnappings, SOHR activists have reported 52 different violations in “Euphrates Shield” area and its surroundings in 2022. Here are further details:
- 41 incidents of imposition of levies.
- 34 assaults.
- 23 thefts.
A monthly distribution of these violations can be summarised as follows:
- January: 12 violations.
- February: 12 violations.
- March: 15 violations.
- April: Seven violations.
- May: Six violations.
- June: Eight violations.
- July: Nine violations.
- August: 12 violations.
- September: Three violations.
- October: Five violations.
- November: Five violations.
- December: Four violations.
Public protests
On the other hand, the region has experienced dozens of demonstrations and public protests since early 2022, in which protestors called for improving living conditions, putting an end to violations and infightings, controlling the security situation and countering corruption and violations by local councils and factions and condemned the poor service and violations by energy companies.
In this context, “Euphrates Shield” area and its surroundings witnessed several protests in August following Ankara’s statements about reconciliation with the Syrian regime, SOHR reported widespread public protests in areas under the control of Turkish forces and factions operating under the banner of “Euphrates Shield” operations room against the latest statements by the Turkish Foreign Minister. Residents took to the streets in Azaz, Suran, Ihtimaylat and other areas in the northern countryside of Aleppo, denouncing statements by Cavusoglu, in which he said, “we need to somehow come to terms with the opposition and the regime in Syria.”
According to SOHR sources, protestors in Azaz city in northern Aleppo stormed the security directorate in the city, before they headed to the headquarters of the city’s local council, downed the Turkish flag and set fire to it, amid calls to remove Turkish flags in all areas under the control of Turkish-backed factions.
Moreover, protestors blocked a Turkish convoy on Azaz-Afrin highway, preventing it from crossing into Azaz city.
The protestors also left graffiti on the walls of these areas, the most prominent of which read “down with Turkey and down with regime.”
While in September, SOHR activists reported seeing dozens of civilians gathering near Al-Centre roundabout in Al-Bab city in east Aleppo countryside, where they protested the seizure of 22 civilian homes by force by leaders of “Malik Shah” faction nearly four years earlier.
According to SOHR activists, the protests were staged as the people lost hope that their properties would be restored by law, despite having filed complaints at the judiciary headquarters in Al-Bab city in the past four years against the leaders of “Malik Shah” faction, but they were unable to get their properties back.
Although the residents had got a court order to restore their properties, “Malik Shah” leaders refused to evacuate the houses and hand them over to their owners.
It seems that violations in “Euphrates Shield” area 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 repeated warnings about the dreadful humanitarian situation in the region.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) renews its appeals to the international community to protect civilians in the “Euphrates Shield” area amid the prevalent chaos, and insecurity which manifest itself in daily robberies, murders, kidnappings and arrests in plain sight of the Turkish forces and with participation of the Ankara-backed factions.