Afrin under occupation (167)

التقرير الاسبوعي ـ عفرين تحت الاحتلال ـ 167

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Afrin under occupation (167):

“Zarka” village, the arrest of three sisters and the enforced disappearance of their husbands, “Al-Amsha” imposes a 25% royalty on the season, a deteriorating educational situation, clashes and bombings

Turkey continues to sponsor terrorists and works to protect them from prosecution and targeting, and against the backdrop of its false promises to Russia to end their presence in Idlib, it recently transferred groups of “foreign jihadists” to the city of Afrin, and placed them in special centers in the Ashrafieh, Mahmudiyah and Al-Vilat neighborhoods.

The following are a number of violations and crimes committed:

= Zarka “Zerka” village:

It belongs to Raju district and is 11 km away from its center, and it consisted of about /75/ houses, and there were about /300/ original inhabitants of the Kurds, all of whom were displaced during the aggression against it, and later only /33 families = 120 people/ returned to it, and /30 families = 150 people/ from the recruiters were resettled there.

“Al-Majd Corps” militia took control of it and seized about /45/ houses including their contents, in addition to stealing most of the contents of the rest of the houses, including supplies, copper utensils, electrical tools and equipment, gas cylinders, etc., and /4/ agricultural tractors belonging to citizens (Mohammed Omar, Fahmy, Mohamed Abdel Qader, Hanan Ahmed, Hassan Aslan), and a pickup car for “Hanif Rashid” and 10 motorcycles.

It seized the “Horek Dawod” poultry farm Building, and /5/ thousand olive trees and grape vines for the forcibly displaced, and imposed a 50% royalty on the production of the property of the absentees, and every year it robs from the remaining families of the village, about (125-150) a tin of olive oil (16 kg net). 

It also cut down the entire forest in front of the village with an estimated area of ​​15 / hectares, and a large part of the trees of Mount Bilal overlooking the village, in addition to the excessive cutting of the seized olive trees, for the purpose of logging and trade, in addition to the overgrazing of livestock between the lands and agricultural fields, and setting fire to almond trees at the village junction, as well as dug and excavated extensively in Mount Bilal in search of antiquities and treasures to steal it.

The villagers were subjected to various violations, including arbitrary arrests, torture, material extortion, bullying, hiring men without paying wages, and others.

The old woman, “Amina Mustafa / 92”, wife of Aslan Mustafa, from the village, was martyred on 5/3/2018 AD, when the Turkish army targeted a passenger bus carrying a group of displaced people while it was passing through the village of “Barbaneh” in the early morning, and in the same bus were the three sisters. Nowruz 38, Nazifa 22, Alia 15″ – the daughters of the citizen, Hassan Mustafa – lost a large part of their eyesight as a result of the injuries.

= Arbitrary arrests:

– On October 6, 2021 AD, the “Military Police in Raju” and Turkish intelligence arrested the citizen “Fawzi Murad Jaafar / 62 years old – his mother Zainab, from the village of “Mamala”, and on October 11, 2021 AD they also arrested from the same village: “Mustafa Shawqi Muhammad”, 69 years old, his mother Fatima, Fawzi Hussein Othman, 45 years old, his mother Fidan, Jaafar Jaafar Battal, 40 years old, his mother Salwa, Ahmed Aref Zibar, 45 years old, his mother Asmaa, Ahmed Haider Jaafar, 55 years old, his mother Zakiya, Mustafa Amin Fares, 40 years old, his mother Zulifa, Ahmed Hussein Hamliko, 45 years old, his mother Latifa, Hassan Ibrahim Fares, 30 years old, Mustafa Muhammad Zebar, 45 years old, his mother, Nazliah, Farouk Mustafa Kilbaker, 35 years old – his mother Fatima, on charges of affiliation with the former Autonomous Administration, and everyone was released on Thursday 14/10/2021 AD after each one was fined with /1,200/ Turkish lira, which can be raised to two thousand Turkish liras if the court decides this later.

– About a month ago, the occupation authorities arrested 11 employees working in the field of drinking water for the “Local Council in Raju”, including “Engineer Muhammad Imad Omar Hassan from the village of Mamolu” and “Salah Othman Mustafa from the village of Musaku”. and Lazkin Muhammad Jaafar and his son from the village of Haj Khalil, on charges of not cutting the bills for selling water for tanks from the Armut-Maska well, knowing that the tanker drivers who work for the militia leaders – especially Ahrar al-Sharqiya – and they refrain from paying the bills, as None of the employees dares to ask them to pay it, or refuse to supply them with water, as the local council – itself – is robbed of the will and decision, in the face of the militias’ domination, some of them have been released and the rest are still in Marateh prison in Afrin.

– On 10/11/2021 AD, the citizen “Mustafa Muhammad Dordo / 46 years old” from the village of “Musaku” was summoned by the “Military Police in Raju”, and he was arrested on charges of affiliation with the former Autonomous Administration, and was transferred to Afrin.

– A week ago, “Maabatli Police” and Turkish intelligence arrested Khaled Abdel Fattah Ibish, 35 years old, Ne’aam Ahmed Hanan / 50 years old, and Khalil Hanan Hanan / 48 years old, from the village of “Qantareh”, on charges of affiliation with the former Autonomous Administration.

= Three sisters were arrested and their husbands forcibly disappeared, along with two relatives of one of them:

Starting in early May 2021, the occupation authorities arrested three citizens, along with their wives (sisters), and two of their relatives, on charges of having relations with the “Kurdish units”, they are:

– The spouses, “Mustafa Muhammad Hussein – born in 1993 AD” and “Zeinab Muhammad Olachi – born in 1994 AD”, have two children.

– The spouses “Hussein Yusuf Hussein – born in 1995 AD” and “Media Muhammad Olachi – born in 1992”.

– The spouses “Maher Abdel Rahman Mohamed – born in 1989 AD” and “Jehan Mohamed Olachi – born in 1990 AD”, they have five children.

– The young man “ Ezzedine Youssef Hussein – born in 2004 AD”, and he is the brother of “Hussain”.

– The elderly Youssef Mustafa Hussein, the father of the two brothers, Hussein and Ezzedine.

About three weeks after the release of “Mustafa” after three years of enforced disappearance by the occupation authorities, he was arrested again after a raid on his house in the city of Afrin, and two days later “Hussain and Ezzedine” was arrested, and a week later “Zainab and Media” were arrested, and after two weeks later, “Jihan” was arrested, and after three weeks, “Maher” was arrested on 17/6/2021, then “Youssef”.

After conducting their investigations, the militias of the “Military Police in Afrin” transferred the three sisters to “Marateh” prison without bringing them to any trial, where they were subjected to psychological and physical torture, especially that “Jihan” is currently ill; While the four men were forcibly disappeared without communication with the outside or the appointment of lawyers, and their fate is still unknown.

It is reported that they are from the town of Shiye / Sheikh Al-Hadid, except for “Maher”, who is from the village of “Goliya” – Raju district and suffers from a congenital disability in his left leg, and all of them were residing in the city of Afrin; Especially since the seven children are currently living with an aunt in a very difficult situation.

The detainees’ families have avoided publishing the news until now for fear of being subjected to further torture, or that they might be released, and to avoid arresting other relatives.

= olive season:

The scenario of looting and theft is repeated in the olive season every year, the main source of livelihood for the citizens of the region; On the one hand, the Turkish commercial intelligence team controls the prices of olive oil and the movement of buying and selling it and transporting it through Turkey abroad. On the other hand, the militias of the “Syrian National Army” affiliated with the Syrian-Brotherhood Coalition and Turkey’s mercenaries seize millions of trees and steal from the production of millions of others, and impose different royalties on the rest.; In addition, every armed party takes measures in its sector at its own whim, starting from the date of picking, taking prior approvals, transferring the fruits to any mill, and canceling agencies.

In Bulbul district, as a result of massive forced displacement, the thefts of the olive of absentee trees took place largely by armed men and the recruiters, sometimes in front of the eyes of the owners of the fields and threatening them. The so-called “Hassan Khairiah”, the leader of the “Suqur Al-Shamal Brigade” militia in the villages under his control (Qizilbash, Beleh, and others), has canceled the agencies, and even if the owner of the field is returning to his home from abroad this year, his property is not handed over to him, as was the case with /200/ tree belonging to the old man “Sheikho Ahmed – Beleh” despite his daughter’s return from Aleppo, and /100/ a tree near “Beleh” for  “Arif Muhammad Yusuf – Hasan Dera” who is returning from Aleppo. As well as the members of his militia roaming between the fields to steal sacks of olives from their owners.

In Raju district, the local council imposed a tax of $250 on each olive press, and the “Al-Sham Legion” militias in its sector impose 50 percent on the production of the displaced to Aleppo and its northern countryside, and different royalties on the production of the rest of the people, and compel citizens to extract the oil from their season in olive presses that work for them. 

The owners of olive fields in the vicinity of the abandoned villages of “Chia and Darwish” – Raju – which are turned to military bases for the Turkish army – are required to obtain prior approvals and submit lists of names of those who will work in the harvest to the local council and Turkish intelligence.

In Shiye/Sheikh Al-Hadid district, the so-called “Mohammed Al-Jassim Abu Amsha” – the leader of the “Sultan Suleiman Shah Division” militia – imposes a royalty of 25% of on the entire production of the town and many villages under his control, in addition to financial royalties on the olive fields belonging to the absentees between / 300-1500/ dollars, depending on the number of trees, and the thefts affect many fields, including picking /400/ trees for “Hanif Mistcalo” and /300/ for “Hamasha family” from the village of “Arandeh” – Sheikh Al-Hadid in the vicinity of “Al-Kurdi” olive press near the village junction.

In Jenderes district, when the children of “Ahmed Zalkha” from the village of “Ylanquz” went to pick olives from their field on the Jenderes-Sandanke road, they were surprised by the presence of a group of recruiters picking before them, who drew weapons in their faces, so they were forced to return without daring to prevent them from Stealing.

= educational situation:

Confirming the deteriorating educational situation in Afrin region, due to the weakness of the curricula and the educational staff, the deprivation of villages from schools and the low salaries of teachers, a demonstration took place by the recruiters on October 14-15, 2021 AD in the city, calling for freedom to learn and reform the current reality as the Turkish governor refused to receive a delegation from them in the old Serial building.

It is noteworthy that the two weekly Kurdish language lessons in the curricula do not receive enough seriousness and attention, as they are not given in all schools, and pass and fail exams are not given to them in the preparatory and secondary levels, unlike other languages, because of the militias’ closure of the crossings with the areas under the control of the Syrian army, thousands of students who want to learn are unable to reach the city of Afrin.

= chaos and disorder:

On Monday evening, 10/11/2021 AD, an armed group of the Levant Front militia raided the house of Haitham Sabri Khalbash, from the village of Kafar Shileh, in the city of Afrin, after he resisted them, they fired indiscriminately, injuring him slightly, and his wife, “Laila Omar daughter of Ahmed”, with serious injuries, she was subsequently transferred to the “Military Hospital” and then to the “Ibn Sina” private hospital for treatment; This is against the background of “Leila” filing a complaint against a member of the “Shamiya” who has seized her house in the city for more than three years, and the judiciary decision to evict it in her favour.

– On 10/12/2021 AD, against the background of two members of the “Syrian Front” militia killing a member of the “Jaysh al-Islam” militia in the Ashrafieh neighborhood, the city of Afrin witnessed tension and alertness between the two parties, until the militias of the “Military Police” intervened between them.

– On the evening of Tuesday 10/12/2021 AD, a sound bomb exploded near one of the militia headquarters in the Ashrafieh neighborhood of Afrin city.

– During the daylight hours, violent clashes took place between the militias of the “Sultan Murad Division” and “Sultan Malikshah Division” with light and medium weapons, near the village of “Matina” and the junction of the town of Shara / Sharan, against the background of a dispute over stolen olives; This led to injuries among the members of the two parties and damage to some houses, amid spreading terror among civilians, as roads were cut off and the entrances to the town of Sharran were closed.

= Blow up a car:

On the afternoon of Monday 11/10/2021 AD, a car bomb was detonated in a main street next to Al-Hal Market Afrin – near the “Kawa” roundabout, it was a van salon bearing the “Idlib” plate and coming from it, according to local opposition media, which led to damages in the neighboring shops and some cars, six people were killed and 21 injured, according to the Civil Defense, in addition to spreading terror in the city.

= Bomb explodes in Shirawa:

Thursday afternoon 10/07/2021 AD, while they were grazing sheep in a land adjacent to the town of “Zarteh/Al-Ziyara” – Sherawa, which is under the control of the Syrian army, a bomb left behind from the war exploded, injuring three children, “Renas Ahmed Abdel Qader (15 years), Youssef Buzan Muhammad, 15 years old, and Hanan Murad Ahmed, 16 years old, from the town, sustained minor injuries to the first two, and the latter died of his severe wounds.

So, chaos and disorder, loss of safety and security, looting, violations and crimes committed on a large scale, prevail in Afrin region under the Turkish occupation, in full view of the international community, which does not move a finger!

10/16/2021AD

Media Office – Afrin

The Kurdish Democratic Unity Party in Syria (Yekiti)

Pictures:

– A forest opposite the village of “Zarka” – Raju before the occupation, it was completely cut down.

– A field of almond trees that was burned in the village of “Zarka”.

– The martyr “Amina Mustafa”.

– Detonation of a car bomb in Afrin, 11/10/2021 AD.

– The martyr “Hanan Murad Ahmed”.

Translated by Europe’s Organization of Democratic Unity Kurdish Party in Syria (Yekîti)