Rights Monitor Syria documented the killing of Kurdish citizen Adil Abdulhanan Nassan after his body was found on his olive grove located near the junction of Faqiran village, in the Jindires district of rural Afrin, on Tuesday, July 28, 2026. The incident has raised growing concerns over the escalation of violence and attacks targeting Kurdish civilians in the region, particularly in light of reports indicating that a letter containing inflammatory and racist expressions was found at the crime scene.
According to information obtained by Rights Monitor Syria from local sources, Adil Abdulhanan Nassan had left his home village of Shitka, in the Mabata (Maabatli) district, on the morning of the incident, heading to his agricultural land, before being found dead later inside the olive grove with gunshot wounds.
Sources indicated that several days prior to his murder, the victim had been subjected to a robbery and looting by unidentified individuals while heading to his olive grove in the morning, during which funds in his possession were seized, in an incident for which no investigation results have been announced.
According to information documented by the platform, Adil Abdulhanan Nassan was born in 1959 and hails from the village of Shitka, in the Mabata (Maabatli) district in rural Afrin. He was among the Kurdish civilians who had recently returned to their area after years of displacement.
The crime sparked outrage and resentment among the residents of Shitka village and surrounding areas, particularly following circulating reports that a piece of paper was placed on the victim’s body bearing the statement: “This is the fate of every Kurd”—a statement of a racist and inflammatory nature that raises serious concerns about the possibility of a hate crime motivated by ethnic bias, necessitating an independent and transparent investigation to ascertain the circumstances of the incident and hold those responsible accountable.
On the evening of Tuesday, July 28, 2026, residents of the Afrin region and Shitka village laid the body of Adil Abdulhanan Nassan to rest in his hometown, amid widespread grief and public condemnation.
This crime comes amid the ongoing documentation of assaults and violations targeting Kurdish civilians in the Afrin region.
On July 23, 2026, Arif Hassan Dalo, a Kurdish citizen born in 1961 hailing from the village of Hekjeh in the Jindires district, was subjected to a mob attack by supporters of the interim authority in the center of Jindires district, resulting in multiple injuries, particularly around the eye area.
Sources added that patrols affiliated with the Internal Security Forces subsequently intervened to stop the assault and detained a number of individuals involved, while the injured man was transferred to Afrin Hospital to receive treatment, undergo a medical examination, and have a forensic medical report issued.
Sources also reported that several assailants hurled insults and racist slurs against Kurdish citizens in the presence of personnel and commanders from the Internal Security Forces under the Ministry of Interior of the interim authority, triggering widespread outrage among local residents.
Rights Monitor Syria considers that the recurrence of killings and assaults accompanied by hate speech and incitement based on ethnic identity underscores the imperative for independent and effective investigations to reveal the truth behind these crimes and determine whether they involve discriminatory motives. This is essential to ensure accountability for perpetrators, provide protection for all civilians, prevent the recurrence of violations, and safeguard the rights of returnees to their regions without discrimination.
Rights Monitor Syria
Note: This text is translated from the original Arabic version. Read the Arabic version:Click here
