The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

The pro-Turkey factions continue their violations against the people of Afrin and arrest a Yazidi citizen

Aleppo Province – The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights learned that armed gunmen of the Turkish-backed faction of Al-Hamzat have arrested a Yazidi citizen from his house in Afrin city center north-west of Aleppo, where he was taken to unknown destination, without revealing the reasons for arresting him, and in connection to this, armed members of Al-Amshat faction operating within the operation “Olive Branch” have kidnapped an elderly citizen from Jaqla Tahtani village of Sheikh Hadid Township in Afrin countryside, where he was blackmailed to pay a ransom of 10000 US dollars in return for releasing him, which compelled him to pay the money.

And the Syrian Observatory published on the 14th of September 2019, that armed members of one of the factions that operate within the operation “Olive Branch”, have kidnapped a citizen woman and 2 of her children while they were heading from Jendires Township to Afrin city, where they were taken to unknown destination without revealing the reasons for kidnapping them.

And the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published on the 13th of September 2019, that in the shadow of the daily violations practised by the pro-Turkey factions against what remained of the Kurds of Afrin and its countryside, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights learned that the Turkish-backed Islamic faction “Al-Sham Corps” carried out a raid against civilians’ houses in Deir Ballut town of Jendires Township in Afrin countryside, where they arrested 9 citizens and took them to unknown destination without revealing the reasons for arresting them.

And the SOHR published on the 10th of September 2019, that as violations against people of Afrin city and countryside continue by factions of “Olive Branch” Operation, armed men belong to a Turkey-loyal faction carried out a raid against civilian’s homes in Kafr Safrah village, and in the details obtained by the Syrian Observatory: gunmen belong to the Turkey loyal faction of Samarkand Brigade stormed houses of civilians in Kafr Safrah village, during which they arrested 15 Kurdish citizens from the village and during the arrest some civilians from families of the wanted people tried to intercept the members raiding their homes, which caused members of the faction to fire directly at the civilians, injuring 4 of them including 2 women.

Earlier today, the Syrian Observatory published that the pro-Turkey factions operating within the operation “Olive Branch” are continuing their violations against the Kurdish citizens who refused previously to be displaced and insisted to stay in their areas within Afrin city and countryside in the north-western countryside of Aleppo, where gunmen affiliated to Al-Hamzat Faction have kidnapped more than 9 Kurdish citizens from Juqah village during the recent days, where they were taken to unknown destination in the frame of the arbitrary practices under the cover of arrests for various accusations the most prominent of which is “the communication and dealing previously with the Autonomous Administration”, also the Civil Police arrested a citizen in Jubana village in Afrin countryside on charge of “communication and dealing previously with the Autonomous Administration”, and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published on the 9th of September 2019, that it documented the death of a citizen from Balilku village in Afrin countryside in the basements of the Military Police loyal to Turkey in Raju Township in Afrin north of Aleppo after being arrested before days with a group of citizens without clarifying the reasons for arresting them.

And the SOHR published on the 5th of September 2019, that it documented the death of an old woman affected by the injury she had after being beaten hard by members of al-Jabha al-Shamiyyah faction on the 25th of August 2019, where her husband died at that time after being beaten by the same members while trying to rob the couple’s house in Al-Ashrafiyah neighborhood in Afrin city, where the SOHR published at that time that gunmen stormed a house of a man from Atama village in Afrin countryside and lives in Al-Ashrafiyah neighborhood in Afrin city, where sums of money were stolen from his house at dawn, and when the old man tried to defend his house, the gunmen beat and choked him and shackled his wife, which resulted in the death of the man affected by the beating and punches he was subjected to, it is noteworthy that this incident took place near a headquarter and a checkpoint of al-Jabha al-Shamiyyah in the area.

And the SOHR published hours ago that the “local council” of Sharan area in Afrin countryside, which is controlled by the Turkish Forces and the Syrian factions loyal to them northwest of Aleppo, issued a circular stating: “it is strictly prohibited the issuance of any identification card for our brothers coming from Idlib and Hama provinces until further notice based on the instructions from his highness, al-Wali,” this comes as a new proof that Afrin’s completely follows the Turkish decision, and in the same context, Afrin city witnessed the visit of the president of the Turkish University of Gaziantep with a delegation from the university, and they met with the “Afrin Local Council,” to see the preparations for opening of a branch of Gaziantep University in Afrin city, as if the Syrian Afrin has become administratively following the Turkish city of Gaziantep, and the SOHR published on the 5th of September 2019, that the Turkish-backed faction of Ahrar al-Sharqiyyah carried out raids and arrests in Jandairis township in Afrin countryside northwest of Aleppo, where 6 people were arrested on charges of “dealing with former Autonomous Administration and conscription”, and they were taken to an unknown destination until now, and the Syrian Observatory published yesterday that in the shadow of ongoing violations by the Turkish-backed factions operating within the operation “Olive Branch” against the Kurdish citizens in Afrin city and its countryside, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights learned that Turkish-backed factions carried out a raid in Deir Sawwan village of Sharran Township in the countryside of Afrin city, during which 5 citizen women from the town were arrested and taken to unknown destination without clarifying the reasons for arresting them, and in connection to this, the SOHR learned from reliable sources that “Al-Amshat” faction which operates under the banner of the operation “Olive Branch”, has kidnapped a citizen from Jaqla Wastani village of Shiah Township in Afrin countryside, local sources told the SOHR that “Al-Amshat” asked the family of the kidnapped person to pay 10000 USD in return for releasing him.

And the SOHR published on the 2nd of September 2019, that the Turkish-backed “military police” arrested today, Monday, more than 22 people in Marata village in Afrin countryside northwest of Aleppo, on charges of “dealing with the former Autonomous Administration”, also another civilian was arrested in Kafrshil  village in Afrin countryside, while unknown people burned the picture of the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and took down the Turkish flag from a headquarters belongs to a Turkey-loyal faction in Afrin city, which led to a major security alert in the city and large-scale search and raid operations.

The Syrian Observatory published yesterday that Mohammad al-Jassim, aka “Abu Amsha”, who is the leader of the Turkish-backed Suleiman Shah Brigade faction, which is known among the people as “al-Amshat” faction; appeared in a video about the demonstration against the Turkish policy at the border with Iskenderun and burning of picture of the Turkish president, he appeared with his supporters Jandairis area in Afrin countryside, and the Syrian Observatory obtained a copy of the video in which he says: “who does not thank the people does not thank Allah, no one is left with us except Turkey,” to support his position he mentioned the number of people living in Turkey saying that it is greater than the number of people in the liberated area, and that most of those living in the liberated area have children working in Turkey and support their families in Syria, then he chanted: “Thank you Turkey, Thank you Recep Tayyip Erdogan, we the Syrian people do not deny the favor,” then he said describing those who burned the picture of the “Muslim President Recep Tayyip Erdogan” that they do not represent the Syrian people and they are agents and tails of the regime, Abu Amsha added: “the Turkish flag -O brothers- is our history, and the history of our ancestors who fought, and the names of our martyrs are there in Turkey when we fought colonialism together, the Turkish flag represents the blood of Arab and Turkish martyrs, especially the Syrians” then he chanted along with those around him: “This flag is not to be stepped over, it is to be put over the head.” (which is a gesture of high respect)

And in conjunction with speeches of Abu Amsha who is considered as notorious person among the people, he and his faction members continue to practice violations and steal the citizens in Afrin, where the Syrian Observatory learned that members of al-Amshat faction in Sheikh Hadid area kidnapped a citizen in Alkana village, and demanded his relatives to pay $20,000 USD in order to be released, also 5 other citizens were kidnapped by al-Hamzat faction and the military police in Jandairis Township on charges of “dealing with former self-administration,” while the process of imposing royalties against the citizens continues under ridiculous pretexts by the pro-Turkish factions, the most recent of which was al-Hamzat faction imposing varying amounts of money on citizens under the pretext of “protecting them from theft”.