Arabic to English Translation*
Militias of the “Syrian National Army” have found their opportunity in looting the properties of the Kurdish residents of Afrin and seizing even more over the past six years through the use of force. The significant revenues from these activities are funneled into the pockets of their leaders and gang officials, without any legal justification or provision of public services, for which they are not even responsible. These actions are often justified on religious or political grounds or through weak pretexts that no one with a conscience would accept. If taxes are typically imposed on properties by any authority, or if laws and decisions are issued to regulate and manage public and private properties, they should be administered by civil authorities in a transparent and accountable manner. This should be either through the Ankara government, considering Turkey as an occupying state, or through its proxy, the “Syrian Interim Government” concerning Afrin, with revenues going to the general budget.
Below are some details about the prevailing conditions:
= Armed Robbery and Assault on a Kurdish Citizen in Jenderes:
On the morning of Sunday, May 19, 2024, Kurdish citizen “Mohammed Hussein Khorshid, /69/ years old from the village of “Kuran/Jenderes,” who works in currency exchange and remittances,” was subjected to an armed robbery in a side street opposite Barakat Gas Station in the center of Jenderes. The robbery was carried out by masked individuals in a jeep, who struck him from behind with the car and ran over his feet, causing injuries and fractures. He was taken to a hospital in Afrin for treatment, while the thieves fled after seizing a bag containing a sum of money from his hands.
= Assault on a Young Man from “Mamolo Sharqi”:
At noon on May 22, 2024, two settlers severely beat the underage youth “Rashid Izzat Bilal, /16/ years old,” from the village of “Mamolo Sharqi” and attempted to strangle him opposite the Ibrahim Khalil Mosque in the center of Raju town, due to a dispute over placing a male mannequin in front of a shop belonging to “Ahmed Sabri Dawood,” where Bilal works. The attackers were “Mustafa Mohammed Al-Sheikh, /22/ years old from Anjara in western Aleppo countryside,” and “Abu Arab, /21/ years old from the Damascus Ghouta.” They work in a pastry shop next to the clothing store on the mosque street. Mustafa and his father were previously part of the “Nour al-Din al-Zenki Movement” militias and are now under the protection of “Sham Legion” militias, while Abu Arab is affiliated with “Army of Islam” militias.
Mustafa Sheikh has seized the shop belonging to the forcibly displaced “Mohammed Atto” since 2018, converting it into a pastry shop. He and his siblings have taken over three other shops in Raju, selling household gas cylinders and clothing.
= “Al-Hamzat” Informs Mukhtars of “Cholaqo” and Surrounding Areas about the Seizure of Absentee Properties:
Following the meeting held in the village of “Haj Khalil” – Raju on May 12, 2024, for the mukhtars of villages controlled by “Al-Hamzat” militias led by “Saif Abu Bakr,” which we reported on in our previous report, a week ago, “Al-Hamzat” held another meeting in the village of “Cholaqa” – Jenderes for the mukhtars of several villages under their control. They informed them of the final decision to seize all properties of absent residents from these villages who are residing in areas under Syrian regime and Syrian Democratic Forces control, as well as in Iran and Russia (referred to as the enemy front). They also announced the removal of their relatives and agents from these properties, declaring them as property of the “Syrian National Army,” to be rented annually for a set amount and to whomever they choose. Properties of absentees residing in Europe and the West will be subjected to a 30% production tax.
It is noteworthy that lawyer “Mohammed Salamah,” head of the “Legal Office of the Joint Force (Al-Hamzat Division, Sultan Suleiman Shah Division – Al-Amshat), which was opened in Afrin city on February 3, 2024,” attended the aforementioned meetings in the villages of “Haj Khalil” and “Cholaqo,” accompanied by former dissident officers in the name of the revolution. He justified the seizure decision in the name of law and revolution, disregarding that this unjust decision is a gross violation of international and local laws, all divine laws, and the most basic principles of ethics, which do not permit the confiscation of private properties on political grounds or through fabricated excuses.
= Seizure of a Villa in “Sheikh” Village:
Approximately two months ago, “Ahmed Shahoud Rashid, also known as Haroun al-Rashid,” the deputy and nephew of the leader of the “Ninth Division” militia, “Abdul Nasser Jalal Shallouh,” expelled the family of citizen “Hanan Sheikh” from a villa in “Sheikh” Village – Raju and seized it. The pretext given was that the owner “resides in Aleppo and is a regime supporter,” despite the family having lived there since 2018 with authorization from the owner, a relative of “Hanan.”
According to a local source in the Raju subdistrict, the house belongs to the forcibly displaced “Mustafa Sido” from the village. Harun al-Rashid decided to “investigate” the villa’s status after the burial of Sido’s mother, who passed away in Aleppo, at the village cemetery about three months ago, even though Sido is a civil servant at the Justice Palace with no political affiliations.
= Chaos and Outlaw:
– On May 17, 2024, in the village of “Sheikhoutka” – Mobato/Maabatli, a minor girl from the settlers originating from the Al-Ghab Plain in northwest Hama countryside died under mysterious circumstances. There are reports of her being killed by a close relative, although the family claims she committed suicide by hanging. Incidents of killing girls and women among settlers in the region, often under the pretext of “honor” or within suspicious networks, are recurring amidst widespread religious extremism and impunity.
– On the morning of May 17, 2024, the body of “Hussam Ammar Al-Omar” from the village of “Al-Ziyara” in Hama countryside was found murdered in Bulbul subdistrict near the Turkish border. He was attempting to cross into Turkey with the help of smugglers from the “Syrian National Army” militias. It is widely believed that “Mohammad Jassim/Abu Amsha,” the leader of the “Sultan Suleiman Shah Division” militias, was behind his murder due to a previous conflict between Hossam’s father, known as “Ammar Mohammad Al-Omar aka Abu Rasha,” and Abu Amsha. Abu Amsha was accused of killing “Abu Rasha” on July 17, 2023, in Jenderes.
– At dawn on May 19, 2024, a force of hundreds of elements from the “Afrin Civil Police” militia raided the Al-Mahmoudiya neighborhood in Afrin city to arrest a suspected ISIS cell, according to their statement. They fired their rifles in the air and over houses, spreading terror among civilians.
We wonder, the “Syrian Interim Government,” which claims to represent the “revolution and the Syrian people” and acknowledges the inclusion of militias like “Al-Hamzat” and “Al-Amshat” in its “Syrian National Army,” is certainly aware of the significant extortion imposed on the properties of Afrin residents and the seizure of absentee properties, and often those present in many cases. Why does it hide and evade responsibility, as do the officials of the Syrian Coalition – the Muslim Brotherhood? Are they satisfied with the corruption, violations, and crimes occurring on the ground?!
25.05.2024
Media Office-Afrin
Kurdish Democratic Unity Party in Syria (Yekiti)
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Images:
– The assaulted citizen “Mohammed Hussein Khorshid.”
– The mosque street in the centre of Raju town, where the Kurdish youth Rashid Izzat Bilal was assaulted.
– “Mohammad Al-Sheikh,” who hails from Anjara – western Aleppo countryside and has seized shops in Raju town.
– “Lawyer Mohammad Salamah,” head of the “Legal Office of the Joint Force/Al-Hamzat and Al-Amshat.”
– The villa of citizen “Mustafa Sido” in “Sheikh” Village – Raju.
– “Ahmed Shahoud Rashid, also known as Haroun al-Rashid,” the deputy and nephew of the leader of the “Ninth Division” militia, Abdul Nasser Jalal Shallouh.
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* Under the supervision of the European Organization of the Kurdish Democratic Unity Party in Syria (Yekîtî).
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