Lelun Afrin
On January 20, 2018, Turkish forces and Turkish-backed factions of the Syrian National Army launched a military offensive on the Syrian region of Afrin under the name “Operation Olive Branch.” By March 18, 2018, the region was fully occupied. This operation forcibly displaced hundreds of thousands of indigenous residents, leaving behind an ongoing humanitarian tragedy.
Over the past seven years, the people of Afrin have suffered grave human rights violations, including killings, forced displacement, demographic changes, and the destruction of the region’s cultural and environmental heritage.
Ongoing and Well-Documented Abuses
The Lelun Association for Victims has documented hundreds of violations, including abductions, arbitrary arrests, extortion, deforestation, and the destruction of cultural landmarks. Reports from international human rights organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have confirmed that Turkish forces and affiliated armed factions have committed severe violations, including arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, property confiscation, and looting.
A Human Rights Watch report titled “Everything is by the Power of the Weapon” documented the continued abuses in Turkish-occupied areas of northern Syria, including Afrin, highlighting a widespread culture of impunity among these forces.
New Displacement in 2024: Forcibly Displaced Again
In 2024, Afrin’s displaced residents in the Shahba region, north of Aleppo, faced renewed forced displacement during the “Operation Dawn of Freedom” offensive, carried out by Turkish-backed Syrian National Army factions. Reports indicate that this military campaign led to the mass displacement of thousands, further exacerbating their suffering.
Key statistics on documented violations
According to the Afrin Human Rights Organization, “Operation Olive Branch” resulted in:
1. Forced displacement of 300,000 civilians from their homes.
2. A decline in the indigenous Kurdish population to just 23% of Afrin’s total residents.
3. Complete or partial destruction of 64 schools, with some repurposed as military headquarters and detention centers, such as Amir al-Ghubari School.
4. Arbitrary arrest of over 10,208 civilians since the occupation, with 25% of detainees still forcibly disappeared, and others released only after paying ransom.
5. Killing 105 women, including 14 cases of suicide and 74 cases of sexual assault.
6. Killing 778 civilians, including 682 in Turkish bombardments and 96 tortured to death.
7. Over 762 civilians wounded, including 345 children and 225 women.
8. Destruction of Afrin’s natural environment, including the cutting of over 1,000,000 olive and forest trees and the burning of 30,000 more.
9. Vandalism and destruction of 59 archaeological sites out of 75, along with 28 religious shrines, the desecration of cemeteries, and the conversion of one burial site into a livestock market.
10. Seizure of over 10,000 homes and 7,000 commercial properties in Afrin city alone, excluding properties in its surrounding villages and towns.
In light of these ongoing violations and the continued silence of the international community, we renew our calls for:
1. Removal of Turkish-backed armed factions from Afrin and all occupied Syrian territories and the immediate release of arbitrarily detained individuals in Afrin, Ras al-Ain (Serê Kaniyê), and Tel Abyad.
2. A safe, dignified, and unconditional return of all forcibly displaced persons to their homes, free from threats of retaliation or repression.
3. The Syrian Government should take immediate steps to halt the ongoing violations in Afrin and ensure the protection of civilians and their rights. The inclusion of individuals involved in past crimes in official forces without accountability entrenches impunity, and those responsible for crimes and violations must therefore be held accountable and not allowed to go unpunished.
4. Comprehensive support for the reconstruction of Afrin and compensation for victims and those affected by the conflict and ongoing violations.
5. Urgent international intervention to fulfill legal and moral obligations, end the occupation, and ensure justice for the victims.
On this painful anniversary, we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to defending the rights of our people. We pledge to continue our efforts for justice, accountability, and an end to the oppression and suffering in Afrin and all occupied Syrian territories.
Lelun Association for Victims
March 18, 2025