Lelun Afrin

Executive Summary In light of the complex challenges faced by forcibly displaced individuals and victims of human rights violations in Syria, Lelun Association for Victims organized a series of participatory dialogue sessions in the cities of Qamishli and Al-Hasakah, in northeastern Syria. The aim was to empower victims by providing them with a safe platform to share their personal stories …

Ensuring that the violations experienced in the area are incorporated into transitional justice programs that guarantee accountability, redress, compensation, and non-recurrence. Despite the major transformations Syria has undergone—including the fall of the Assad regime on 8 December 2024, the formation of the Transitional Government, and the return of nearly two million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to their homes and communities—tens …

Since armed factions affiliated with the so-called Syrian National Army took control of Afrin in 2018, the area has witnessed widespread violations against civilians, including arbitrary arrests, unlawful property confiscation, and forced displacement. Following the withdrawal of some Turkish forces after the fall of the previous regime and the assumption of administrative control by the “Public Security” apparatus affiliated with …

This in-depth investigation reveals a disturbing reality that goes far beyond isolated violations: a unified and carefully coordinated machinery of repression—resembling a military-style organization—operated by factions of the Syrian National Army across two geographically distant areas that share striking similarities: Afrin, in northern Aleppo, and the Syrian coastal region in Latakia governorate. In both regions, identical patterns of abuse have …

“I never imagined I would cradle my first grandchild in my arms while fleeing our home—dispossessed and terrified, walking into the unknown. At 52, I found myself living a chapter I had never thought life would write for me.” With these words, Jaylan, a grandmother from Afrin in northern Syria, recounts a story of both devastation and defiance—a story that …

The Lelun Association for Victims, a survivor-led organization representing victims of arbitrary detention and human rights violations from across Syria—including the Afrin region—has contributed to a major investigative report by CNN, published on June 12, 2025, titled: “Women detail alleged abuses carried out by militia under commander now in Syria’s top military brass.” The CNN investigation reveals grave violations committed …

“If the people one day will to live, then fate must surely heed their call.” These words resonate deeply with Youssef Ahmad (a pseudonym), a survivor of arbitrary detention by factions affiliated with the Syrian National Army (SNA) in Afrin. His story is one of resilience, pain, and an unyielding pursuit of freedom and justice. Ahmad recounts his early life: …

This report documents serious human rights violations committed by factions affiliated with the Syrian National Army (SNA) in detention centers under their control in northwestern Syria, particularly following their takeover of the Afrin region, northwestern Syria, in March 2018. The report is based on verified testimonies from 10 individuals—either former detainees or relatives of detainees—who were subjected to arbitrary detention, …

By Fatima My name is Fatima, a woman in her fifties. I was born and raised among the olive trees of a quiet village in Afrin, northwestern Syria, where peace wrapped around us like a soft breeze and beauty lived in even the most modest corners. We had little, but it was enough. Our home, made of stone and clay, …

Systematic human rights violations against the indigenous population of Afrin, located in northwestern Syria, continue to intensify. These abuses coincide with significant political developments in Syria, including the declared “fall of the previous regime,” the release of detainees from government prisons, and the restructuring of military factions, with members of the “Syrian National Army” being incorporated into the newly formed …