Afrin Human Rights Organization: Mass Arrests of Kurdish Civilians in Aleppo and Reports of Deaths Under Torture
The Afrin Human Rights Organization – Syria reported that factions affiliated with the Syrian Ministry of Defense and the General Security forces continue to carry out arrests and detentions of Kurdish civilians in the city of Aleppo, amid uncertainty surrounding the fate of many detainees.
According to the organization, following the takeover of Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood in Aleppo, these factions arrested and detained hundreds of Kurdish civilians, particularly young men, on charges related to working within the institutions of the Autonomous Administration or its military forces. Local sources stated that detainees were transferred to various security branches, while some were moved to detention centers in the cities of Afrin and Al-Ra ‘i.
The organization noted that a number of detainees were released in Aleppo under what was described as “social integration,” while other sources confirmed that hundreds remain held in the State Security and Military Security branches in Aleppo. It also reported the presence of more than 270 bodies at the forensic medicine department in the Jib al-Qubba neighborhood of the city.
In a related case, the organization reported the arrest of Riyad Othman (49 years old), a resident of Hobka village in Rajo district, Afrin countryside, on Saturday, January 10. His arrest occurred as residents were leaving Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood following an attack carried out by army forces and General Security, accompanied by other armed groups. He was taken to an unknown location.
On Tuesday, January 20, Othman’s family was informed to report to the forensic medicine department to receive his body and sign the death certificate, without being provided with any information regarding the cause or circumstances of his death. The organization stated that General Security forces do not allow families to fully examine the bodies, permitting some to see only the faces of the deceased.
According to the organization, Riyad Othman’s body was accompanied by two other Kurdish bodies, reportedly belonging to individuals who died under torture.
In a similar incident, the family of Masoud Sheikh Hassan, from Korzila Jih village in Bulbul district, Afrin countryside, was informed on Thursday, January 22, to receive his body and sign the death certificate for burial in Al-Naqarin cemetery, near Haj Al-Qader Al-Sabbagh cemetery. The organization stated that Masoud had been arrested in Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood during the attack on the area.
The Afrin Human Rights Organization further reported that the number of Kurdish civilians killed from the Ashrafieh and Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhoods has exceeded 4,000. According to the organization, the victims were killed by elements of the Syrian Arab Army and General Security forces, under the supervision of Turkish intelligence operatives in Aleppo. The victims are reportedly buried in Al-Naqarin cemetery, located on the road to theAl-Bab area.
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