A rights statement reports the seizure of homes, lands, and shops in Afrin and Jindires, accusing influential figures and armed factions of exploiting the security vacuum.
Afrin – The Human Rights Organization Afrin- Syria stated that violations of property rights against Kurdish civilians in the city of Afrin and its countryside in northwestern Syria are ongoing. The organization pointed to operations involving the seizure of homes, lands, and shops belonging to local residents, amid what it described as “chaos and an absence of justice.”
In a statement, the organization clarified that these violations are carried out by armed factions previously backed by Turkey or by displaced families protected by those forces, considering that this is taking place “amid a complete absence of deterrent security and judicial measures.”
In the city of Afrin, the organization noted that a “high-ranking official in the Syrian Criminal Security originating from the city of Mayadin in the Deir ez-Zor countryside” has been occupying a residential building consisting of six apartments for more than eight years. The building is located in the Afrin al-Jadida (New Afrin) neighborhood near Ibn Sina Hospital.
According to the statement, the official—identified by the organization by the initials “(H. H.)”—refuses to vacate the building and hand it over to its owners despite their demands for eviction on the grounds of personal residential need. The statement explained that the official “refuses to vacate it because he enjoys strong influence within the current authority and holds a high-ranking leadership position in the capital, Damascus.”
Homes and Lands in Jindires
In the Jindires district, the organization stated that five Arab families “originating from Deir ez-Zor Governorate” in the village of Aghjala, which belongs to the district, continue the forced seizure of five homes and private lands belonging to forcibly displaced Kurdish citizens.
It added that these families “announce their complete refusal to leave the village and deliver the homes and lands to their legitimate owners.” According to the statement, they condition the return of the houses on receiving exorbitant sums of money in US dollars.
The organization also accused these families of “bullying and exerting influence over the village residents,” exploiting the “security vacuum and the presence of armed elements from the Sultan Suleiman Shah (Al-Amshat) and Ahrar al-Sharqiya divisions, operating under the umbrella of the Ministry of Defense to legitimize violations.”
The organization listed the names of the original homeowners whose properties it said were seized:
Ghassan Alloush
Muhammad Mustafa
Youssef Muhammad Omar (nicknamed Abu Hassan)
Hassan Muhammad Omar
Othman Qazaqli
Seizure of Homes and Shops in Afrin al-Jadida
In a related context, the statement discussed the ongoing seizure of Kurdish civilian properties in the Afrin al-Jadida neighborhood, noting that an influential figure alongside his brothers is seizing an entire street in the neighborhood, including Kurdish civilians’ homes and shops, imposing their control by force of arms.
The organization said this is occurring “despite the presence of security agencies in the city,” accusing the influential figures of “disregarding the laws and decisions issued by the judiciary, as well as agreements and understandings between the governors of Hasakah, Deir ez-Zor, and Aleppo, and the administration of the Afrin region.”
The statement added that this comes following the return of displaced Kurds to the area, where some have ended up “living in collective shelters and camps after those occupying their property refused to vacate.” According to the organization, homeowners face demands to pay “tribute” (protection money) or face threats of property damage and looting.
Questions Regarding the Role of the Afrin Region Administration
The Human Rights Organization Afrin- Syria raised questions regarding the role of the government, particularly the administration of the Afrin region, in light of the continuation of what it described as these violations.
The organization stated: “Here we question the role of the government, especially the administration of the Afrin region, in light of the continuation of these violations, as it has become completely absent from the scene and plays no role after failing to perform its duties to protect civilians, grant them justice, and restore their property.”
It added: “On the contrary, we see that it stands alongside the influential perpetrators and protects them amid the absence of justice and accountability.”
The organization concluded its statement by emphasizing that it will continue to raise the issue of property-related violations and the fate of Kurdish civilians’ property in the Afrin region.
The allegations in the statement come within a broader context documented by international rights organizations regarding property conditions in Afrin since the 2018 Turkish military operation. Human Rights Watch stated in a report published in February 2024 that it had documented, through interviews with 36 individuals, violations of housing, land, and property rights in Afrin and other areas. The report noted that factions of the “Syrian National Army” engaged in looting, pillaging, and seizing homes, lands, and properties following Operation Olive Branch, and that the majority of affected individuals interviewed by the organization received no restitution or appropriate compensation.
Note: This text is translated from the original Arabic version… Read the Arabic version:Click here
