Activists from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the forcibly displaced persons who arrived on Tuesday morning in the city center of Afrin, after eight years of forced displacement, were shocked to find their homes completely emptied of all contents and decorations.
Testimonies from residents indicated that most homes had been subjected to looting and vandalism, including the removal of flooring, doors, and windows, while the gardens of the houses were destroyed after the displaced residents had left.
In this context, one returnee to his home in the city stated in testimony to the Syrian Observatory that he was forced to pay $1,000 in order to recover his house from its current occupant, who had in turn purchased it from another person. He noted that this scenario applies to the majority of homes in Afrin.
For her part, a female activist from the city told the Syrian Observatory that her brother’s house had become merely a skeletal structure. The ceramic tiles, flooring, faucets, electrical wiring, and all of its contents had been removed, while the current occupants refuse to vacate the house and return it to its original owners.
In another case, a woman reported that the displaced persons currently living in her house had sold the garden of the property and emptied all of its belongings without returning anything, forcing her and her family to live in a house that needs to be refurnished and rehabilitated from the beginning.
Returning residents also expressed their dissatisfaction with the situation, calling on the relevant authorities and the transitional government to restore their rights and properties and to find urgent solutions for the looted and destroyed homes, instead of limiting their response to meetings or statements that do not reflect the reality experienced by the city’s inhabitants.
It is noteworthy that the return of the forcibly displaced residents of Afrin came amid celebratory scenes and broad public participation upon the arrival of the convoy of displaced families to the city center, after many years of forced displacement. This followed the implementation of the 29 January agreement concluded between the Transitional Government and the Syrian Democratic Forces.
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