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Syria: The International Investigation Committee Report about violations by armed factions in Afrin

The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria - Image from the commission’s official page

The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria Report was issued on 12th September 2023. It consists of 39 pages, covers the period from 1st January to 30th June 2023, and based its methodology on 447 direct interviews, conducted either in person or remotely, talks about the most violations committed throughout the Syrian geography by various parties of the conflict. …

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Syria: Human rights violations in the Afrin region during September 2023

Violations in September 2023 - Image source: Exclusive to “Lelun”

Armed factions under various names affiliated with the Syrian National Army are continuing to commit violations against most of the indigenous people of the Afrin region without any respect or consideration for the difficult living situation experienced by the people. Especially, those recently return from displacement places to their villages and farms, trying to regain their homes and lands. But …

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“Lelun” Report On Human Rights Violations In The Afrin Region During August 2023

Violations in August 2023 in the Afrin region - Picture source: from the archive

The Afrin region witnessed continued violations by armed factions affiliated with the Syrian National Army against indigenous residents and those returning to their villages and cities from displacement places, as they demanded from some returnees to pay financial ransoms ranging from 200 to 5000 US dollars per person, according to the charge against him/her, under the pretext of regulating their …

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Motivated by poverty: Afrin’s displaced people return to Afrin and are forced to pay sums to the factions

Al-Maabatli town - Afrin. Image source: “Lelun”

As a result of the worsening cases of extreme poverty in displacement places, indigenous families were recently forced to return to their villages and homes in Afrin region, most of whom are from Aleppo, Lebanon, and Shahba areas. According to what some of people returning to the region told Lelun, the reason is due to the poor economic conditions, the …

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Afrin: Victims’ families waive their right to claim against the armed groups’ violations

One of the graves of the village of Dimelia that was destroyed - Image source: Exclusive to “Lelun”

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 …

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Al-Amshat faction imposes fines and taxes on the returnees to Afrin

Al-Amshat faction imposes fines and taxes on the returnees to Afrin

The district of Sheikh Al-Hadid / Shiya and villages under the control of Sultan Suleiman Shah’s faction are witnessing popular discontent, due to the imposing of financial fines and taxes on the people with various pretexts, one of which amounted to about forty thousand dollars on the entire population of the village. In the details, private local sources confirmed to …

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Afrin: A new attack on a member of the “Peshmerg” family by gunmen

The child "Nazmi" after being assaulted by gunmen - Photo source: exclusive to "Lêlûn"

Violations against the “Peshmerg” family did not stop at the “Newroz 2023” crime in Jenderees, in which four young Kurds from one family were killed by “Sharqiya Army” faction. Rather, these violations continued to include repeated threats and attempts to target family’s members. The latest of which was the attack on grandson of the family by an armed group believed …

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Aleppo: The continued siege of Sheikh Maqsood and Ashrafieh neighborhoods puts the lives of thousands of civilians at risk

The people's committees affiliated with the People's Municipality are carrying out maintenance work for the sewage system in Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood. Image source: Lilon Association

The civilians of the Kurdish-majority in Sheikh Maqsood and Ashrafieh neighborhoods in Aleppo city, which are under the control of the Autonomous Administration, suffer from recurring economic and service crises, especially after the earthquake of 6th February 2023, as a result of the imposition of the checkpoints of the Fourth Division of the Syrian Arm since the beginning of May …

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Afrin: Summons campaigns against civilians by the military police with the aim of intimidation and ransom

Summons campaigns against civilians by the military police. Photo courtesy of the Rajo Military Police website

At the end of May 2023, The Military Police in the Rajo district of Afrin summoned a group of civilians from Dimelya/Al-Umsiya village by their mayor, for interrogation on charges of “dealing with terrorism” in the past, in reference to dealing with the Autonomous Administration and its previous institutions. On Monday, 22nd May 2023, a group of six young men …

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