By Siwar Hamo
AFRIN, Syria (North Press) –General Security forces take control of security in Afrin region in northwestern Syria, and dissolve military police structures previously operated by Turkish-backed factions.
The move follows a series of arrests and heightened tensions in the region, where security forces are navigating complex relations with Turkish officials amidst ongoing reports of violations and kidnappings.
Since Feb. 6, the Syrian caretaker government’s General Security forces have effectively entered the Afrin region in northwestern Syria, deploying a convoy of dozens of military vehicles along with a large number of personnel.
The Afrin region in northern Aleppo has been under the control of Turkey and its affiliated armed factions, aka the Syrian National Army (SNA), since 2018.
Arrests
After the convoy left Afrin, the Turkish-backed Sultan Suleiman Shah faction, also known as al-Amshat, arrested dozens of civilians for interrogation in the town of Mabata.
A crowd of Afrin residents and villagers had welcomed the convoy with Kurdish and Syrian flags as it arrived in the city. The convoy toured the city and visited the towns of Rajo, Mabata, Sheikh Hadid (Shiye), and Jindires. In the evening, it returned to Aleppo.
The next day, the convoy returned to Mabata to investigate the arrests made by the Amshat faction, and some complaints from residents were heard. They called for the faction’s removal from the villages and towns they control and demanded the return of properties that the Amshat faction had refused to return.
The Amshat faction, led by Mohammed al-Jasem, known as Abu Amsha, who later took command of the Division 25 in the new military formation of the caretaker government in Hama, has been sanctioned by the U.S. for involvement in human rights violations in Afrin. It is unclear if the faction is still under his control.
Police branches
Exclusive sources told North Press that General Security forces began entering the Military Police branches to dissolve them and take over security responsibilities. They established an office inside the Military Police branch in Afrin city.
The sources added that the General Security forces began an inventory and takeover of the names and contents of the branch, also assuming control of all checkpoints operated by the Military Police.
The General Security informed the leadership of the branch that it would be reduced to a substation and that all personnel would be transferred to Aleppo, with all checkpoints and personnel now under General Security’s control.
The sources also noted that General Security withdrew personnel assigned to guard the office of the Turkish Wali (governor) for reassignment. Additionally, General Security moved to the Military Police branch in the village of Bulbul to take over the branch.
Removal of checkpoints
These developments coincided with the removal of checkpoints operated by various factions in the Afrin region, along with the closure of some faction headquarters.
According to sources, most factions have withdrawn their heavy and medium weapons from Afrin to central Syria and Idlib countryside, preparing for a full withdrawal after being informed that their presence in Afrin is effectively coming to an end.
However, last week, North Press observed continued security deployments by factions and armed groups in central Afrin. The scene appears largely unchanged, despite the entry of General Security forces.
Informed sources told North Press that a leader from the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, “Saraqah Abu Ahmad,” has been appointed as the new security head for Afrin and will assume responsibility for all security and military matters in the region.
On the ground, violations and cases of abduction of residents continue, with little effort being made to curb these activities.
Amid these developments, the security management of Afrin remains unclear, and the relationship between the new security administration and the Turkish officials who control all security operations in the region, under the presence of Turkish bases and security centers, remains uncertain.
Earlier, in January, the Turkish Wali in Afrin rejected handing over control to a government delegation, stating that the matter would be discussed later. The government delegation’s visit took place before the Ahmad al-Sharaa was appointed Transitional President of Syria.