Arabic to English Translation*
In the final weeks of the olive harvest season, militias of the “Syrian National Army” have intensified pressure on the residents of Afrin, threatening them to expedite the payment of extortion fees. Local leaders and armed patrols have been mobilized, summoning, insulting, and even assaulting some citizens, while others have their olive harvest seized. The militias also threaten to cut down olive trees, forcing some residents to flee covertly and under duress. Others are compelled to sell their belongings to complete the payment of the imposed levies, with some even suffering sudden strokes due to the stress.
The following are facts about the current situation:
= Martyrdom of a Civilian:
On November 19, 2024, “42-year-old Haytham Abdulrahman Issa, ” a resident of the village of “Oquibeh/Akibeh” – Sheirawa/Leelon Mountain in southeastern rural Afrin (under the control of the Syrian Army and located along the contact line with Turkish occupation forces), succumbed to severe injuries at Afrin Hospital in the village of “Fafin, ” north of Aleppo. These injuries resulted from Turkish military and militia shelling of his village earlier that day, which also caused significant material damage.
= Death of a Civilian and Paralysis of Another:
Due to the intense pressure exerted by the “Sultan Suleiman Shah Brigade” militia, led by “Mohammed Al-Jassem (known as Abu Amsha), ” 69-year-old Akram Mahmoud Nabo (Abu Sufyan), a resident of the village of “Anqaleh” – Shiyeh/Sheikh Al-Hadid, suffered a stroke. This was a result of demands to pay an extortion fee of $18,000 imposed on his olive harvest. His health deteriorated, and despite being taken to a hospital in Afrin, he tragically passed away on November 12, 2024, as a result of coercion and distress.
Meanwhile, another resident, “70-year-old Mahmoud Mohammed Khawjah,” also from the same village, had returned two months earlier from Aleppo to harvest olives from a small plot of land he owned. Being of limited means, he was unable to meet the militia’s demand for $2,500 in extortion fees. Consequently, he suffered a stroke that resulted in partial paralysis of his body.
= Olive Harvest Season:
– Extortion by “Abu Amsha”:
- In the village of “Jaqalo”, Sheikh Al-Hadid/Shiyeh subdistrict, the “Amshat” militia imposed a $20,000 extortion fee on the olive fields belonging to “Mahmoud Saeed Khalkenkeh” and his absent siblings. This amount exceeded the harvest’s value and Khalkenkeh’s ability to pay, forcing him and his wife to flee to Aleppo out of fear of punishment.
- In the village of “Qarmitlaq,” also in Sheikh Al-Hadid/Shiyeh, the “Amshat” militia recently went door-to-door threatening residents unable to pay exorbitant extortion fees on their olive harvests. Examples include:
- “Hanif Bakr Akash /64/ years old – $16,000, Yilmaz Hassan Abo /35/ years old – $12,000, Fakhri Rifaat Sheikho /65/ years old – $30,000 and Walid Hussein Bilal /45/ years old – $10,000. ” The militia acted violently, verbally abusing and physically assaulting some residents, including “Jamil Sharif Bilal /45/ years old and Shiyar Walid Bilal /21/ years old. ” They gave residents only a few days to make the payments.
- In the town of Maabatli, in addition to the standard olive harvest extortion fees imposed by the “Amshat” (5% of total olive oil production, $6 per tree belonging to absentee citizens regardless of condition, and $0.5 per tree for present residents regardless of condition), the militia collected a “protection fee” of one tin of olive oil (16 kg net) from each family with olive trees, amounting to a total of 450 tins. Starting Thursday, November 21, 2024, armed patrols from the “Amshat Security Office” began visiting Kurdish households to demand a new fee of $0.5 per olive tree, regardless of ownership. The militia also summoned dozens of residents who were late in paying their extortion fees to its headquarters and issued threats.
– In the village of “Qadah” – Raju Subdistrict, “Musab Zidan,” the commander of the “Hamza Division” militia, imposed a personal extortion fee of one tin of olive oil (16 kg net) per Kurdish family present in the village, under the threat of cutting down their olive trees. This amounted to approximately /100/ tins from all families. Additionally, extortion fees benefiting the militia itself (a “protection fee” of $150–$250 for each olive field, 7% of the harvest from residents, 40% of the harvest from absentee owners, 60% of the harvest from widows whose sons are absent.) The militia also seized about 25,000 olive trees belonging to those forcibly displaced since 2018.
– In the villages of “Maydono” – Raju Subdistrict, “Salil Al-Khalidi,” a commander of the “Sham Legion” militia, harvested and stole the entire crop from approximately /140/ olive trees belonging to forcibly displaced farmer “Ramzi Sheikhmos.” This was done without regard for the costs of agricultural maintenance over two years or the labor of the caretaker managing the trees, amounting to outright expropriation.
– In the village of “Omarsimo” – Sharran Subdistrict, at the start of the month, the “Elite Army” militia harvested and stole around /600/ sacks (approximately 90 kg each) of olives from 1,500 trees belonging to citizens, including “Mariam Walou daughter of Mannan, Zainab Omar Simo, Oria Omar Simo, Fawzi Hanan Omar, Mustafa Hanan Omar, Mohammad Mohammad Kadro, Mustafa Mohammad Horo, Nader Aziz, Abdo Khalil Ismail, Hassan Jmaili, Kamiran Horo, Mohammad Horo, Ahmad Kadro, Hamza Qanbar/Hamza Zaitounak and Farouq Khalil Walou.” Since 2018, the militia has seized about 25,000 olive trees owned by approximately /45/ families, such as those of “Sheikh Osman Omar Simo, Mustafa Omar Simo, Mustafa Rashid, Yaqoub Rasgid, Khalil Rashid, Mohammad Rashid, Nouri Rashid, Ibrahim Aref, Mohammad Horo, Abdul hamid Horo, Salah Kadro, Mustafa Kadro, Ahmad omar simo, Edrees Omar Simo, Houreek Omar Simo, Majeed Omar Simo.”
Additionally, the militia imposes a 50% production tax on properties managed through power of attorney for absentee owners, as well as an extortion fee of 2–5 tins of olive oil per family present in the area.
= Arbitrary Arrests:
– About a month ago, the “Military Police in Raju” arrested 60-year-old “Mohammad Aref Barri,” a resident of the town of Badino, on the pretext that he had worked in construction for the previous self-administration. He was transferred to Afrin’s central prison in Marateh, where he remains in arbitrary detention.
– On November 21, 2024, a checkpoint of the “Military Police” in the village of “Tirindeh,” south of Afrin, arrested two citizens: 25-year-old “Misto Hussein” from the town of “Basouta,” and 23-year-old “Bashar Zahni Qassab” from the village of “Kabashin,” currently residing in Afrin. Both are well-off financially, and the arrests were based on fabricated charges.
= Security Approval for Events:
While Afrin residents seek prior approvals from militia security offices to hold communal social events conducted peacefully without disrupting public order, Turkish intelligence in Raju has recently required additional approval through local village leaders. This directive, conveyed by “Hassan Ma’mo Khalil” —a collaborator from the village of “Barbaneh” —via a WhatsApp audio message, instructed residents to obtain clearance from intelligence headquarters before hosting any events such as weddings or engagement ceremonies.
Notably, this requirement does not apply to settlers brought into the region, whose celebrations often include excessive gunfire and frequently lead to disputes.
= Antiquities Excavations and Looting:
According to local sources, images and videos reveal excavations on the western shore of Lake Maydanki Dam, opposite the dam structure. These digs, conducted under the cover of night, aim to loot artifacts exposed by unprecedentedly low water levels this year. The “Sultan Murad Division,” led by “Fahim Issa,” uses heavy machinery to excavate and dump debris into the lake. The activity halts during the day, and Turkish occupation authorities, despite being aware of the operations, take no steps to prevent them.
= Two Stolen Water Stations:
On November 11, 2024, the “Afrin Local Council” announced the completion of a project to rehabilitate and equip the “Rahmania 1” and “Rahmania 2” drinking water stations, supported by the “Bahar Organization.” Where the first one is located in “Sheetana/Rahmania” village junction on the “Duiruimeh” road – Mobato/Mabaatli. The council claimed the stations had been out of operation for over a decade, while the organization reported a seven-year cessation. However, both stations were functional under the previous self-administration until early 2018. After the occupation, militias looted all equipment, including pumps, generators, electrical transformers, and even iron doors and windows. These stations are under the control of the “Sultan Mohammad Al-Fatih Division”.
= Chaos and Lawlessness:
On November 13, 2024, in the village of “Sheikhuitka” – Mobato/Maabatli Subdistrict, a violent altercation occurred between cousins, settlers from rural Hama, due to an old dispute. The conflict escalated to gunfire, resulting in the death of 24-year-old “Imad Matroub Diab” and injuries to another individual.
All these violations occur while Syrian opposition groups, which claim to represent “revolution and religion” and praise the “Syrian National Army,” remain silent, devoid of conscience or resolve to address the atrocities committed by their affiliated militias.
23.11.2024
Media Office-Afrin
Kurdish Democratic Unity Party in Syria (Yekiti)
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Images:
– The martyr “Haitham Abdul Rahman Issa”.
– The late “Akram Mahmoud Nabo”.
– The individual suffering from partial paralysis, “Mahmoud Mohammad Khawjah”.
– The so-called “Musab Zidan,” leader of the “Hamza Division” militia in the village of “Qadah,” Raju Subdistrict.
– The headquarters of the leaders of the “Elite Army” militia in the village of “Omer Simo,” Sharra/Sharran Subdistrict.
– Excavations conducted by the “Sultan Murad Division” militia on the western bank of Maydanki Dam Lake.
– The “Shitana/Rahmania 1” water station as of August 2024, shown empty and being rehabilitated on November 11, 2024.
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* Under the supervision of the European Organization of the Kurdish Democratic Unity Party in Syria (Yekîtî).
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