Six years after Afrin occupation, violations of human rights persist without any signs of abating

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – On Jan. 20, 2018, Turkey and the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) launched an attack on Afrin, resulting in its occupation along with its surrounding areas after a 58-day war.

This occupation led to the death or injury of over a thousand Kurdish citizens of Afrin, and forced approximately 350,000 of its residents to flee their homes. Unfortunately, even after six years, the violations of human rights, theft, looting, deforestation, encroachment on private property, and demographic changes persist without any signs of abating.

On that day the Turkish army launched a shelling and bombardment campaign on Afrin, targeting its villages and districts, namely Rajo, Shiye, Bulbul, Shera, Jindires, Maabatli, and Şereva. In coordination with the Turkish army, SNA initiated a ground attack.

During the attack, numerous civilian homes, schools, government buildings, hospitals, mosques, historical and sacred sites, were mercilessly bombed and destroyed.

As a result of the 58-day war, Turkish forces and SNA seized Afrin and its countryside on 18 March and started stealing and looting homes, government buildings, shops, and resident properties.

Afrin residents have suffered dangers and threats since March 18. Armed groups have kidnapped tens of thousands of Kurdish people in order to obtain money from their families. Over 8500 residents of Afrin have been abducted during this period, and the fate of more than 2 thousand others remains unknown.

The demographics of Afrin are also changing as thousands of Arabs from Damascus, Idlib province, and different districts of Syria settle in Kurdish properties and homes. The confiscation of hundreds of thousands of olive trees has resulted in the removal and cutting of hundreds of thousands of olive trees.

As a result of the occupation of Afrin, the Turkish army has destroyed the majority of Afrin's archaeological sites with large excavation tools. Activists state that many antiquities were stolen from Jindires Hill, Nabi Houri Castle, Simeon Castle, and Dederiyeh Cave.

Over 50 historical sites and religious cemeteries have been looted by the Turkish army and its affiliated armed groups. More than 20,000 pieces of antiques have been stolen and transported to Turkey by the Turkish army and its affiliated armed groups.