Turkish-backed groups continue arbitrarily arresting civilians in Afrin: SOHR

Armed groups backed by Turkey continue to kidnap civilians for ransom in the Kurdish region of Afrin in Syria.

Wladimir van Wilgenburg 2022/05/22 19:01

Members of the Sultan Murad Division in the city of Afrin in May 2021 (Photo: Syrians for Truth and Justice website)

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Turkish-backed groups continue to carry out arbitrary arrests to collect ransom money, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) war monitor reported on Sunday.

According to SOHR, the Al-Majd Corps faction, which controls Midana village in Raju district in Afrin countryside, arbitrarily arrested a civilian for unknown charges on May 18, even though he previously cleared his name with the Turkish-backed groups occupying Afrin.

Last week, a Military Police patrol also arrested a man from Shikhotka village in Maabatli district of Afrin countryside for "dealing with the former Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES)" to collect ransom money.

On Saturday, SOHR reported that a police patrol arrested three civilians from Kawnda village in Rajo district in Afrin countryside on May 17 for "going out on night guard shifts during the control of the Autonomous Administration (AANES) of Afrin". That arrest was also made to collect ransom money.

Turkish-backed factions have occupied Afrin since March 2018, when the Turkish Army launched a cross-border offensive against the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG).

Since then, civilians have faced kidnappings and arrests, usually for ransom.