Lelun Afrin
Since the “Olive Branch” operation started in 2018, Afrin region has been subjected to a series of systematic violations, for several reasons, including those that occur deliberately and target the indigenous population, and others as a result of the security chaos. Many people refrain from claiming their rights or filing complaints after they have been subjected to any violations, for fear of being targeted by the armed factions.
On 17th August 2023, a local source reported that the tombstones of some graves from the cemetery of the people of “Dimelia” village in Maabatli district were destroyed and broken by unknown persons, which was greatly resented and disapproved by the people, but they did not dare to file formal complaints with the security authorities feared that they would be held accountable instead of investigating the matter. They did not trust these institutions in exposing the perpetrators. It is not the first time that tombstones have been smashed in the village cemetery.
On the other hand, another local source reported that the “Samarkand Brigade” faction, which controls “Al-Mazoula/Routa and Al-Dalia” villages of the Maabatli district and “Ramadana” village in Jenderes district, has seized this year’s walnut crop in the “Wadi Jurjum” area, which is located within the aforementioned faction took control by order of their commander who called “Abu Jihad,” who resides in “Al-Mazoula/Routa” village in a house that he seized by force and belongs to a forcibly displaced person. The source stated that the people did not file a complaint with the security authorities because they feared that the punishment would be doubled by the faction.
On 8th August 2023, “Ali Nuri”, in his sixties, from Anqala village, was hit by a military vehicle driven by a member of the Suleiman Shah faction “Al-Amshat” on the road connecting the village and the center of Sheikh Al-Hadid district, which immediately led to his death.
After “Lelun” communicated with sources close to the victim, the source confirmed that the victim’s wife did not dare to file a complaint or request compensation with the security and judicial authorities for fear that she would be threatened and become vulnerable to violations by the factions, and because she does not trust the security and judicial institutions after she has lost her husband, although there are reports of prior intent to kill due to the victim didn’t pay fines to the aforementioned faction.
In another context, “Lelun” researchers communicated with families of victims who were subjected to violations in the region. A relative of “Hanif Hanan,” who is the husband of the victim, “Oufa Sheikh Ahmed,” who was killed and burned, and her house was stolen and burned, reported that the victim’s husband was forced to waive his right to claim after he submitted a claim to the court to investigate those involved in the killing of his wife. The suspect was later released and the victim’s husband and brother, Masoud Sheikh Ahmed, were summoned under the pretext of investigation and detained for about a month to accuse them until they had to pay $500 for their release.
A relative of “Hanif” told “Lelun” that the case was dropped by the victim’s husband to save himself and his family from the threats after he was subjected to severe torture, accompanied by his wife’s brother, while they were detained in “Maaratah Prison,” and for fear that their case would become like the case of the “Peshmerg family.” in Jenderes.
The people suffer from the evasion of the concerned and judicial authorities from holding accountable those involved in committing violations against the indigenous people and their property and the failure to prosecute the perpetrators. Which forced most of the victims of violations to waive their right to claim any case of violation they were subjected to after they became the threat of armed elements, and some of them refused to claim completely. This is, according to the victims’ families, to “Lelun,” because the people feared that the scene would be repeated against them, due to the absence of any fair accountability that would do justice to their right to complain.