The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

Groups of the Kurdish Units resume their targeting to the forces of the “Olive Branch” Operation in Afrin area

Aleppo Province – The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: groups of the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), are continuing their targeting to the “Olive Branch” Operation in Afrin area, which was controlled by the latter on the 18th of March 2018, where the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored fighters of the Kurdish Unites targeting a vehicle of the rebel factions operating in Operation “Olive Branch”, in the north eastern countryside of Afrin area, which resulted in the injury of about 5 fighters with varying severity, and destroying their vehicle, and confirmed information about the death of 2 members of them in this targeting, and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published two days ago, that groups of the YPG are continuing to carry out operations targeting the Turkish forces and the factions in Afrin area, by missiles through which they tend to destroy vehicles or target positions, leaving every time more human losses in the ranks of the both parties, raising to at least 1511, the number of fighters at least of the YPG and the Self-Defense forces who were killed since Operation “Olive Branch” started, while 562 members and fighters of the Turkish forces and the factions including 80 soldiers of the Turkish forces, were killed in the clashes against the Kurdish Units in Afrin area, and 91 members at least of regime forces’ NDF were killed in the Turkish shelling since they started to enter on the 20th of February 2018.

While the tragedy of the displaced people is escalating, amid absence of the humanity of the International Community and the relief organizations which ignore the cries of those who called for their help, and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has continuously monitored this tragedy since it was started and until now, where it monitored the suffering of thousands of citizens who left all of their property to escape from death, as the Turkish shelling and the advancement of the forces of the “Olive Branch” Operation which is composed of the Turkish-led Syrian opposition factions, forced hundreds of thousands of citizens to flee from their villages, farms and houses, and head towards the northern countryside of Aleppo, where thousands of families headed towards Nubl and Al-Zahraa towns, while the rest of families headed towards the SDF-held areas in the northern countryside of Aleppo, and dwelled in these villages and towns and in camps that were set up by the displaced people themselves, after the relief and humanitarian organizations had ignored them, and after the regime forces had closed the way to Aleppo, while the ways were open to smugglers to transfer citizens towards Aleppo city, in return for large sums of money which exceeded 1000 $ for a single person.

These situations of the displaced people of Afrin, are coincided with the continuation of harassment and violations against the citizens remained in Afrin area, which Turkey controlled on the 18th of March 2018, where reliable sources confirmed to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights that the Turkish forces and the factions of Operation “Olive Branch”, are carrying out more arrests against the citizens, where they take them to detention centers on various charges related to the period of the YPG control on the area, amid renewed looting accompanied by arrests and raids on the citizens’ houses under the pretext of searching for wanted persons.