Arabic to English Translation*
Eleven days have passed since the “Victory Conference” and the resolution to “dissolve all military factions, revolutionary, political, and civil bodies.” However, militias affiliated with the so-called “Syrian National Army” remain active, continuing their violations and crimes in Afrin. Their security and economic offices are still operational despite the removal of some military checkpoints. Moreover, they are waging a war in the countryside of Manbij against the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), backed by the Turkish army. The Turkish occupation maintains its administrative, security, and military presence. The Turkish-appointed governor continues to work from his office in the old Saray building, where the Turkish flag is prominently displayed. Meanwhile, checkpoints manned by the “Military Police” militia, in coordination with Turkish intelligence, remain functional. Hundreds of individuals are arbitrarily detained or forcibly disappeared for political reasons, and there is no safe environment for the voluntary return of displaced persons.
On Thursday, February 6, 2025, a convoy from the Public Security Forces traveled from Aleppo to Afrin, toured the region, was received by hundreds of people, and then returned to Aleppo. However, this was merely a security display with no meetings held with locals, no speeches or promises made, and no assumption of administrative control over the area. In fact, many Kurdish individuals who welcomed the convoy faced threats, with dozens arrested.
Although members and vehicles of the “Military Police” carried “Public Security” insignia, Ahmad Jamal Kabso, the head of the Afrin branch—known for his authority and longstanding record of violations—remains in his position. This militia continues to operate under Turkish command, acting against the local population instead of protecting them, engaging in arbitrary arrests and extortion.
The following are facts about the current situation:
= Injuries:
On February 4, 2025, a landmine explosion near the village of “Kondi Mezan / Al-Dhouq Al-Kabir” in Sherawa, a remnant of the war, resulted in injuries to three children of varying severity. The injured were:
– Arin Imad Abdo, 8 years old, from the neighboring village of Kibashin.
– Bahri Muhammad Allo, 10 years old, from the neighboring village of Brad.
On the same day, another landmine exploded in the village of Kibashin, injuring Ibrahim Muhammad Shamo, 15 years old, from Brad, leading to the amputation of his leg.
= Arbitrary Arrests:
– On December 4, 2024, the Military Police militia arrested Roden Arif Hasso (34 years old), a resident of Hassandera village – Bulbul, from a relative’s house in Afrin, shortly after his return from displacement in Aleppo. He was accused of having been a civilian employee under the previous Autonomous Administration. He was detained in Maratah Central Prison and fined before being released on February 6, 2025. The homeowner was also detained for three days.
– On the morning of Friday, February 7, 2025, the Military Police in Afrin announced the arrest of four young men who had filmed a “We Are All SDF” slogan inside a car while a Public Security Forces convoy entered Afrin on February 6, 2025. Their photos were published, including that of Mohammed Abdulqader Ahmed (18 years old) from Jalama – Jindires, under the accusation that their actions aimed to “provoke and destabilize security.”
= Abduction in Central Aleppo
At noon on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, an unmasked armed group Carried out an abduction in central Aleppo, near Baghdad Station neighborhood (east of the Public Park). The group forcibly removed 14 Kurdish men and young students (all
Displaced from Afrin) from Microbuses operating on the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh route, solely based on their identity.
The abductees were taken to an undisclosed location outside the city where they were subjected to severe beatings, torture, and verbal abuse, with their suffering recorded on video. Eventually, they were abandoned in the Al-Shaar Neighborhood, in eastern Aleppo, and were threatened at gunpoint to leave without looking back, under the risk of being shot.
= Violations by the “Amshat” Militia.
The Sultan Suleiman Shah Division, led by Mohammed Al-Jasim (Abu Amsha)—who was recently granted the rank of Brigadier General and appointed as Commander of the 25th Division under the new Ministry of Defense— continues to impose various violations and pressures on residents in areas under its control. These violations include:
– Seizing Kurdish returnees’ homes and properties unless large extortion fees are paid: In Mabata/Maabatli, around 20 returning Kurdish families are being denied access to their homes, even though they have been vacated by the settlers. The militia demands between $1,000 and $3,000 per house as a condition for return.
– Preventing families of its fighters and settlers in Sheikh Hadid (Shiyeh) and parts of Jindires from leaving the area: This restriction has significantly hindered the return of Kurdish residents, contributing to the low rate of Kurdish repopulation in these villages due to ongoing abuses.
– Arbitrary arrests in Mabata/Maabatli: After a Public Security Forces convoy passed through the town on the afternoon of Thursday, February 6, 2025, the militia arrested around 27 people, mostly shop owners from the local market, on the pretext that they had welcomed the convoy. Due to pressure from the Public Security Forces, they were released later that evening. Abu Amsha attempted to shift the blame onto his subordinate, Abu Ghazi, the militia official responsible for the town. The next day, on February 7, 2025, a large Public Security patrol arrived in the town to investigate the situation. The local Mukhtar publicly reported violations, including extortion, theft, property seizures, deforestation, and arbitrary detentions.
– Kidnapping and ransom demands in Kakhera – Mabata/Maabatli: Mohammed Abdulrahman Iso (32 years old) was abducted and tortured, with his captors demanding an $8,000 ransom for his release. His wife was also targeted after his brothers, Renas and Nidal, fled the village following accusations of weapons possession. The two brothers had recently returned with their families from displacement in Shahba, northern Aleppo. Mohammed Mohammed Misto (37 years old) was also kidnapped, tortured, and forced to pay a $5,000 ransom on the charge of having helped Renas and Nidal return to the village.
= Extortion by the “Hamzat” Militia:
On February 3, 2025, audio recordings surfaced in which the economic office head of the Hamzat Division addressed village Mukhtars via WhatsApp, ordering them to inform contract holders managing the properties of absent owners that they must pay the imposed extortion fees by the end of the week. And the returning residents reclaiming their lands that they are also required to pay extortion fees, under threat of losing their property rights to others.
This escalation in extortion and looting appears to be a deliberate effort by the militia to extract as much money as possible before its anticipated withdrawal, as per statements from Damascus government.
= In the Town of “Meydanki”:
On January 30, 2025, and the following two days, masked gunmen stormed three adjacent homes belonging to three brothers—“Ibrahim, Othman, and Zuhr al-Din, sons of Muhammad Jabr”—in the town of “Meydanki” (Shirra/Sharran) with the intent of stealing whatever they could. From the first house, they seized cash, five tins of olive oil (each containing 16 kg of pure oil), and two mobile phones. From the second house, they stole gold jewelry belonging to Juwan Othman Jabr’s wife. In the third house, they fired gunshots while fleeing after their attempted robbery failed. Additionally, another group of armed men attempted but failed to rob the home of “Nuri Jabr.”
Furthermore, an individual named “Hassan al-Fatim,” a leader in the “Al-Mu’tasim Division” militia, has been preventing Kurdish families from reclaiming their homes—approximately 50 in total—unless they pay a financial levy for each property. He has also prohibited the families of his militia members from returning to their original village in Jabal al-Zawiya, Idlib Province, despite the area not having suffered significant damage. His goal appears to be prolonging their stay as much as possible to continue extracting levies and other financial revenues.
If a homeowner refuses to pay the imposed levy for the evacuation of their house, the occupier, upon leaving, dismantles doors and windows and even engages in deliberate vandalism.
= Tree Cutting:
– In late January, armed men partially cut down approximately 40 olive trees belonging to the citizen “Adel Ahmed Zeibo” in the village of “Qartaqlaq” (Shirra/Sharran) for firewood, despite the field’s proximity to a checkpoint of the “Sultan Murad Division” militia during the past month, around /100/ olive trees were cut down to varying degrees, including some from the trunks.
– These trees belonged to residents of the neighboring villages of “Mamalla” and “Maska” in the Rajo district, which are controlled by the “9th Division” militia. Among them /5/ trees belonging to “Rifaat Ismail Mustafa” more than /15/ trees belonging to “Sobhi Akash Bilal” more than /35/ trees belonging to “Zalifa Akash Bilal” /22/ trees belonging to “Loqman Ismail Ahmed” /10/ trees belonging to “Kamal Jaafar Nabo” /10/ trees belonging to “Aref Jaafar Saleh Haidariyeh”
The cutting was carried out by settlers residing in these two villages, including an individual named “Mahmoud Ali Al-Ahmad,” who is originally from the rural areas of Hama.
= Other Violations:
The majority of the families of armed men and settlers living in the village of “Abudan” – Bulbul still occupy the homes of the local residents. The “Elite Army” militia continues to prevent the rightful owners from reclaiming their properties, even though some of them have been displaced and have been trying to return for over a year and a half.
A militia led by individuals named “Hossam” and “Abu Ridwan” from the “Malkashah Division,” which controls the village of “Ayn al-Hajr al-Gharbi” – Mabata/Mabtali, is involved in the abduction of men from the village, demanding financial ransoms for their release.
In the village of “Iska,” south of the city of Afrin, on the night of February 4, 2025, masked gunmen stole a Hyundai pickup truck belonging to citizen “Omar Ghassan Remo.” This follows an incident from the previous year when his motorcycle was also stolen. Additionally, other armed men attempted to rob a shop belonging to “M. Asaad” and the homes of “Ali Haseh” and “M. Khaled” by raiding them, but their efforts were thwarted when the owners woke up.
Ending the Turkish occupation in all its forms, disbanding the militias, and relocating their members and leaders to other areas under the Ministry of Defense’s control are essential measures for the recovery of the Afrin region and the safe, dignified return of its displaced residents.
08.02.2025
Media Office-Afrin
Kurdish Democratic Unity Party in Syria (Yekiti)
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Images:
– Convoy of Public Security Forces in Afrin, February 6, 2025
– Injured children: Arin Imad Abdul, Bahri Muhammad Alu, Ibrahim Muhammad Shamo.
– The four young men arrested by the “Military Police” militia in Afrin city on February 7, 2025.
– “Muhammad Al-Jassem/Abu Amsha,” his brother, and Mr. Ahmed Al-Shara prior to his appointment as President of Syria.
– A post by “Muhammad Al-Jassem” on the “X” platform confirming his promotion to the rank of “Brigadier General” and his assumption of command of the “25th Division.”
– Olive tree cutting in the village of “Qartaqlaq,” with the source of the image being a video by media activist Ahmed Al-Barho.
– Olive tree cutting in the village of “Mamalla” in the Rajo district.
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* Under the supervision of the European Organization of the Kurdish Democratic Unity Party in Syria (Yekîtî).
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