More than 116 civilians detained in Afrin – VDC-NSY

Turkey-backed Syrian armed opposition groups continue to kidnap and arrest citizens of the region of Afrin, northern Syrian, and take them to detention centers and unknown destinations on different charges, as the number of detainees has exceeded 100 people, according to “Violations Documentation Center in northern Syria (VDC-NSY).

Violations Documentation Center in northern Syria confirmed that the Turkish-backed opposition groups detained at least 116 people in Afrin region in September 2019.
According to a monthly report released on Monday, the center detailed the names of the detainees, the place, date and the captors.
Since the first of September and until 11 September, the region of Afrin has witnessed a detaining campaign of 48 people, whose names have been documented, according to VDC-NSY. It’s noteworthy that the number of violations is more than the documented number.

VDC-NSY also indicated that there are other names, whom their families didn’t want to reveal their identities, in addition to some cases of arrests that weren’t able to be reached.
Violations Documentation Center in northern Syria in its monthly report pointed to the increasing rates of violence, crime, arrest and kidnap in Afrin and all areas controlled by the Turkish forces in northern Syria.
“The Turkish forces and its affiliated armed opposition militias continue to commit further violations”, according to the center’s report.

The report added that the Turkish forces and their affiliated armed groups do not heed the calls of stopping the daily raids, arrest, kidnaping citizens for ransom and prevent their relatives from knowing their place or reasons for detention, and refuse to put them on trial, and prevent them of hiring a lawyer.
In addition, robbery, looting, and kidnapping have escalated in Afrin since March 18, 2018, when the Turkish army and its affiliated armed opposition groups took control over the region.