Arabic to English Translation*
The General Security Service continues to assert its control over the region; however, militias affiliated with the so-called “Syrian National Army” persist in committing violations. Meanwhile, Turkish intelligence, accompanied by the “Civil Police Militia,” continues to arrest Kurdish citizens. The Turkish flag remains raised at numerous checkpoints, locations, post offices, Turkish companies, and the offices of the formerly known “Military Police Militia.” Residents of Maabatli/Mobato town mocked the announcement of a complaint box, as it was placed inside the security headquarters of the Al-Amshat militia. They questioned how anyone would dare to enter the headquarters and file complaints against its leaders and members.
The following are facts about the current situation:
= Attacks on Kurdish Civilians:
– After the release of “Mohammad Ali Sijam /35/ years old, “a resident of Shiyeh/Sheikh Al-Hadid, from his detention in Azaz on January 13, 2025, it was revealed that his health was in a critical condition due to severe torture inflicted by militias affiliated with the so-called “Syrian National Army.” He had been arrested on the night of December 2, 2024, under a fabricated charge of ties to the “Afrin Liberation Forces” following the militia’s takeover of Tal Rifaat in northern Aleppo. Sijam had sought refuge in Tal Rifaat after the occupation of Afrin in March 2018. He was later rushed to a hospital in Aleppo, suffering from injuries across his body, the amputation of some toes, burns on his legs, and the extraction of some of his teeth. He is also experiencing psychological and mental health issues.
– Two weeks ago, in the town of Maydanki, five armed members of the “Sham Legion” militia, originally from the Baba Amr neighborhood in Homs, brutally beat and insulted “70-year-old Rajab Mohammad Hassan. ” Despite their faction having a nearby headquarters, they attacked him because he refused to let them dismantle the doors and windows of his house, which had been seized since 2018. After assaulting him, they completed their thefts and destroyed the remaining household items.
– On the evening of Friday, February 28, 2025, a masked armed group severely beat and injured a citizen named “Mohammad Ali, known as Jalami, ” and wounded his head, stealing his hunting rifle (Jift). He was inside a guard room at an artesian well belonging to “Mohammad Hamo, ” the Mukhtar (village head) of “Arandeh” village in Shiyeh/Sheikh Al-Hadid. When the Mukhtar filed a complaint with the Al-Amshat militia’s security office, it was ignored. Instead, the militia accused the guard, “Mohammad Ali, ” of stealing the Mukhtar’s own rifle and launched an investigation into his family and relatives.
= Arbitrary Arrests:
The Turkish intelligence, accompanied by the “Civil Police” militia, carried out multiple arrests in recent weeks:
– Two weeks ago, “Abdul Rahman Izzat Mohammed /39/ years old, ” a resident of “Gundeh Mazen (Al-Zouq Al-Kabir) – Sheirawa, was arrested from a house in “Qastal Miqdad” – Bulbul and taken to the Rajo district center. The charges against him remain unknown.
– Approximately 20 days ago, “Issam Hamid Hassan /34/ years old) ” was arrested in the Ashrafieh neighborhood of Afrin, accused of having ties to the former Autonomous Administration.
– On February 24, 2025, “Hassan Manan Habash /60/ years old, ” a resident of “Dikieh” village in central Bulbul, was arrested without any disclosed charges.
– On February 25, 2025, “Bangin Mustafa Shaaban /35/ years old, ” a resident of “Badino” – Rajo, was arrested at the “Kokan” village checkpoint on the Rajo road and taken to the Mobato/Maabatli district center. He was accused of links to the former Autonomous Administration, despite having returned to the area only ten days prior to his arrest.
= Thefts:
– On the evening of Saturday, February 22, 2025, in “Aghjaleh” village, Jenderes district, controlled by the “Eastern Army” militia, armed thieves—residing in a nearby camp—attempted to loot three olive presses belonging to “Hussein Hassan, Ali Al-Najjar, and Hussein & Hammouda Kochar. “They managed to transport /17/ tins of olive oil (16 kg each) from Hussein’s press to a nearby olive grove. However, they fled when the owners and guards discovered them and pursued them. Later, the thieves successfully stole sound equipment, solar power devices, a tent, tables, and chairs used for funeral gatherings from the village mosque. They also stole a solar energy system from the house of “Imad Hussein Shaaban. ”
– In Maydanki town, despite a visit from a convoy of General Security Forces who listened to local complaints, theft attempts continued. The thieves fired shots into the air to intimidate the residents. If a house was vacated and the owner was absent, doors and windows were stolen. On February 26, 2025, armed men stole a gas cylinder and stove from the home of “Salah Sheikh Othman, ” just one week after he had regained possession of his house.
– On February 26, 2025, masked Al-Amshat militia gunmen carrying automatic rifles robbed “Aziz Qasho, ” a resident of “Arandeh” village, on the road between the village and Shiyeh/Sheikh Al-Hadid, stealing his mobile phone and 2,000 Turkish liras.
– On February 27, 2025, three armed men stopped two passenger buses on the road between Korkan Tahtani – Mobato/Maabatli and Maamilo – Rajo. They robbed /17/ workers returning from the city, seizing their salaries and /17/ mobile phones, before fleeing.
– A photo from Jenderes shows a damaged multi-story building, which suffered damage during the February 6, 2023 earthquake. However, new settlers looted the remaining stones, tiles, and fixtures. One of the apartments had been inhabited for only six months by its original owner, “Qazqli Mohammed, ” who had been forcibly displaced. The apartment was seized by a gunman from the “Nour al-Din al-Zenki” militia in April 2018. Additionally, the militia stole Qazqli’s taxi.
– On February 27, 2025, on the Jenderes – “Koran” village road, two armed men intercepted “Riyad Kadro, ” stealing his motorcycle, mobile phone, and poultry before leaving him stranded by the roadside.
= Other Violations:
– The “Ahrar al-Sharqiya” militia, which controls the sector along the Rajo road from the Amara village junction to the Badino junction, continues to extort money from landowners for pruning, plowing, or fertilizing olive groves, demanding $1 per tree. For instance, they extorted $200 from “Mohammad Rashid Qaso” for plowing an olive field near “Katakh gas station” and $30 from “Ismail Aref Alo” for plowing near “Badino” junction. The extortion is enforced by armed patrols of two militia members who collect the payments.
– An audio recording circulating on social media reveals that “Abu Shlash, ” a member of the economic office of the “Hamzat Division” militia in Rajo district, ordered the Mukhtar of “Barbaneh” village to inform individuals managing olive fields belonging to absent property owners to renew their documents and pay imposed fees (under the pretext of “guarantee payments”). He threatened that failure to comply would result in the fields being handed over to others (his own associates). This move appears to be an attempt to extract as much money as possible before the militia is dissolved and forced to leave the area.
– In mid-February 2025, a drunken militia leader known as “Abu Walid” from the “Faylaq al-Majd” faction, along with “Abu Khattar” and” Abu Bashar, ” fired shots into the air in front of the homes of four families who had recently returned to “Chubono” village, Rajo district. They then forced each family to pay between $500 and $700 in extortion fees. Additionally, they demanded $1,500 from another family in the neighboring village of “Zarko, ” falsely claiming that the payment was required to vacate and return their own house to them.
= Chaos and Lawlessness:
– Extensive deforestation is taking place in Jenderes district, alongside widespread thefts in the city center. Militias and their affiliated new settlers view this period as their last opportunity to accumulate wealth through plundering and looting. In this context, the General Security Forces recently arrested Lieutenant Colonel “Ibrahim Al-Jassim, ” head of the “Military Police Branch in Jenderes” since 2018, originally from Saraqib, Idlib, along with several associates. His corruption and abuses had become widely known, including accepting tens of thousands of dollars in bribes from illegal logging groups, charging thousands of dollars for releasing detainees, and stealing multiple vehicles, including those belonging to detainees and government institutions.
– During the third week of February, armed individuals stole two pickup trucks belonging to settlers in “Marateh” village, west of Afrin. The perpetrators remain unknown and have not been pursued.
There is an urgent need for the General Security Forces under the new Syrian authorities to assume full control over Afrin’s security affairs, removing militia and Turkish intelligence influence. Only then can there be effective measures to curb theft, human rights violations, and identity-based arrests, while ensuring a relatively secure environment for the return of displaced residents.
01.03.2025
Media Office-Afrin
Kurdish Democratic Unity Party in Syria (Yekiti)
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Images:
– A building in Jenderes that was partially damaged by the February 6, 2023 earthquake was looted, with remaining stones, ceramic tiles, doors, windows, and other materials stolen.
– “Ibrahim Al-Jassim, “formerly a Lieutenant Colonel and Head of the “Military Police Branch in Jenderes”.
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* Under the supervision of the European Organization of the Kurdish Democratic Unity Party in Syria (Yekîtî).
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