KNCS Condemns Killing of Kurdish Civilian in Afrin, Demands Militia Withdrawal
KNCS denounced the murder of Mustafa Barzani Sheikho, shot by armed men in Western Kurdistan, calling it part of ongoing crimes against Kurds. They demanded militia withdrawal, IDP returns, and justice. EU-sanctioned SNA factions, accused of abuses, remain active in Afrin.
By Ahora Qadi
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The Kurdish National Council (KNCS) in Afrin on Wednesday strongly condemned the killing of a young Kurdish civilian, Mustafa Barzani Jamil Sheikho, in the Jindires district, Afrin northern Syria (Western Kurdistan), calling it part of an ongoing chain of crimes against Kurdish residents. The Council demanded the immediate withdrawal of armed factions and the safe return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their original homes.
In an official statement issued on June 19, KNCS revealed that the incident occurred late on the night of Jun. 18, 2025. Mustafa Barzani Jamil Sheikho was fatally shot while guarding solar energy panels in his village of Haj Hasna, near Jindires. According to the statement, Sheikho attempted to stop a group of gunmen suspected of theft. In response, the armed group opened fire, resulting in his death.
“This is yet another heinous crime,” the statement read. “Afrin continues to bleed. The murder of Mustafa is part of an escalating series of violations targeting Kurdish civilians under militia control.”
Call for Accountability and Action
KNCS urged all relevant stakeholders to take immediate measures to bring the perpetrators to justice, stressing the need to investigate and prosecute those responsible for violations and extrajudicial killings.
“The armed groups must be withdrawn from Afrin without delay,” KNCS stated. “And the families forcibly displaced from their homes must be allowed to return, as the Assad regime has collapsed and there are no longer any justifiable obstacles to their return.”
The Council extended its condolences to the family of Mustafa Barzani Sheikho and the broader Kurdish public, calling for “an end to violence and the restoration of peace and stability in Afrin.”
EU Sanctions and Legacy of Abuse
This killing comes less than a month after the European Union formally imposed sanctions on key militia leaders operating under the Syrian National Army (SNA) in northern Syria—many of whom are active in Afrin.
Sanctioned factions include the Sultan Suleiman Shah Brigade, the Hamza Division, and the Sultan Murad Division, all now integrated into Syria's newly formed Ministry of Defense under the Syrian Interim Government. Prominent militia leaders such as Mohammad Hussein al-Jassem (Abu Amsha) and Seif Bulad Abu Bakr were recently promoted to senior command positions—despite long-standing international allegations of war crimes and human rights violations.
Abu Amsha, appointed commander of the 25th Division, has been accused by Human Rights Watch and the Syrian Network for Human Rights of looting Kurdish homes, arbitrary detentions, torture, and ethnic killings in Afrin. He was sanctioned by the U.S. in August 2023 under the Global Magnitsky Act for orchestrating campaigns of forced displacement, abductions, and sexual violence—primarily targeting Kurdish civilians.
Meanwhile, Abu Bakr, now head of the 76th Division, is accused of leading a shadow network of violations, including forced demographic change in Afrin. HRW reports link his faction to mass property seizures, torture, enforced disappearances, and the recruitment of child soldiers.
Culture of Impunity
Observers warn that the recent promotions of these militia leaders risk institutionalizing a culture of impunity within the Syrian military structure, undermining accountability and prolonging civilian suffering in Kurdish-majority regions.
KNCS’s call for justice and demilitarization of Afrin underscores the urgency of restoring civilian rule and reversing policies of forced displacement and repression—before more innocent lives are lost.
