International Commission of Inquiry: National Army violations continue against civilians in Afrin

Human rights abuses committed by the Syrian oppositional National Army, of abductions, torture, extortion and repeated assassinations, are still continued in the Syrian-Kurdish region of Afrin, according to the report issued by the International Independent Investigation Commission (UNIIIC) on Wednesday.

The report, which addresses the Syrian scene after eight years of conflict and escalation of violence, added that security conditions are in a state of chaos in the region Afrin with “General absence of law”.

Paragraph 57 of the report issued by the Commission of Inquiry says: “A 35-year-old husband and father of three girls and one boy was killed while standing outside his shop during an exchange of fire that had erupted between two armed groups operating under the umbrella of the Syrian National Army”.

The report added that human rights abuses were committed in Afrin region, including abductions and kidnappings, “often for a combination of economic, political and security reasons. The victims of abductions by the armed opposition groups and/or the criminal gangs were often of Kurdish origin”.

The report stated in paragraph 59 that the Commission had documented a case in which, on 13 May, two men and a child with intellectual disabilities had been kidnapped by an armed opposition group when traveling from Afrin to Azaz. One of those abducted was reportedly found dead a few days later, displaying signs of torture, while the kidnappers demanded a ransom of $10,000 for the remaining abductees. 

Accounts received by the Commission indicated that the second man was discovered dead 40 days after this incident, also with visible signs of torture; thereafter, the remains of the child were found”.

The report added in paragraph 60 that activists openly critical of the armed opposition groups, were “regularly” arrested, tortured and detained. An interviewee described that, “after his arrest by an armed group in January, he had suffered severe beatings and burns while he was in detention, until a sum of $600 had been paid for his release”.

The report is based on residents’ statements to the Commission that recent waves of arrests were perceived by the local population as designed primarily to generate financial income for the armed opposition groups. In this regard, “the Commission received reports that young men were arrested on suspicion of being affiliated with the Kurdish structures were forced to pay a fine of $400 in order to be released”.

 Moreover, the report stated that displaced civilians returning to Afrin have been frequently barred from accessing their properties, “if it had been appropriated by members of the armed opposition groups and their families”. While “others were required to pay up to several thousand dollars to have their goods and vehicles returned to them, after they had been stolen”.

The report indicated that farmers were forced to pay “taxes” in order to cultivate their lands, as “olive farmers were similarly required to cede a certain percentage of their harvest as “taxes” to the armed opposition groups”. Furthermore, the Commission received several reports regarding “the pillaging of historical and archaeological sites by the armed groups, including Tel Jenderes”.

The report issued by the International Independent Investigation Commission (UNIIIC), referred to reports of “severe restrictions on women’s rights, especially in areas under the control of the armed opposition factions following extremist ideologies”.

Paragraph 63 of the report stated: “Violations include the imposition of strict dress codes for women and girls and limitations on the freedom of movement. At the same time, women and girls were harassed by the armed group members, in particular when attempting to pass checkpoints”.

“In the context of displacement and beyond, women and girls face higher risks of exploitation and abuse. Displacement, moreover, amplifies pre-existing gender inequalities and exacerbates gendered harms”, the report stated in paragraph 77.

Paragraph 64 of the report stated that “The Commission received no indication that the Turkish authorities were either capable of or willing to control the misconduct of the armed opposition groups”, citing victims who lodged complaints to local councils, consistently stated that the parties in control remained either unwilling or unable to provide effective redress.

In paragraph 65, the report stated: “Officials of Kurdish origin who previously worked in institutions are said to have been frequently replaced by people of Arab origin”, adding that, “the interviewees continued to describe the administrative and executive structures as largely unable to address grievances spawned by the unlawful conduct of dozens of armed groups”.

The commission finds that “there are reasonable grounds to believe that members of the armed groups in Afrin continued to commit war crimes of hostage-taking, cruel treatment and torture”.

The report of the International Independent Investigation Commission said that civilians continue to bear the brunt of the ongoing hostilities, including in Idlib, northern Hama, Latakia and western Aleppo. Indeed, that led to destroying the essential infrastructure to the survival of the civilian population.

Violations vary according to the actors controlling the areas, with escalating hostilities during the reporting period, which led to the  destruction of hospitals and agricultural resources and forced civilians to flee.

Speaking about displacement waves, the report indicated: “Waves of displacements ensued, in which tens of thousands fleeing the battle zones in Dayr al-Zawr (Deir ez-Zor) sought refuge in makeshift settlements, straining the already severely overstretched humanitarian resources. The displacements have resulted not only in limited access to resources for civilians, but also an uneven distribution of services throughout the country”.

The report added: “Prolonged displacements remain unresolved, in particular in large camp settings, including Al-Hol (al-Hawl), Ain-Issa, Al-Roj, Atma and Rukban camps, in which tens of thousands of civilians remain confined in desperate conditions amid wastelands”.

In a separate tab, the report cites the situation of civilians in Idlib, stressing that violence has been escalated against civilians as Syrian government forces sought to expel Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) militants.

In recommendations paragraph, the report stressed: “Ensure unconditional and sustained access to humanitarian and medical relief for civilians in need and guarantees for the protection of aid and health workers”.

“Take all feasible measures, under Security Council resolution 2474 (2019), to account, search and reveal the fates of those detained and/or disappeared, and further establish an effective channel of communication with families, in particular female spouses, to ensure that their legal, economic and psychological needs are adequately addressed.

 In its recommendations, the report focused on assuring “protection and assistance to the displaced and returnee women and girls, including their access to health and other basic services, as well as key rights, such as property and documentation, are addressed in an effective and sustainable manner;” reaffirming the need to “protect women and girls from sexual and gender-based violence”.