Turkish forces continue violating areas in Syria’s northeast
TEL-TAMR, Syria (North Press) – The Turkish forces and Turkish-backed opposition factions continue to commit violations against the local population and archaeological sites in areas under their control in northeast Syria.
Activists on social media circulated local residents searching for recyclable plastic and metal materials in the landfill for selling them, amid the lack of job opportunities and the spread of unemployment plus the deteriorating living situation in the areas of Sere Kaniye and Tel- Abyad, northeast Syria.
“Corruption is rampant in all parts of the civil institutions in both areas held by, which are dominated by Turkish-backed opposition factions, in the absence of job opportunities for the population,” Activists said.
Background: Since late 2019, the areas of Sere Kaniye (Ras al-Ain) and Tel-Abyad have been under the control of the Turkish forces and the armed opposition factions, which displaced nearly 300,000 indigenous people.
Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that the restrictions on civilians are still continuing in these two areas, amid the continuing infighting between the armed factions.
According to the observatory, the two areas witnessed an explosion and infighting between the armed factions, during February.
Gunmen affiliated with the opposition factions are still excavating archaeological sites in the countryside of Tel-Abyad, local sources told North Press.
“Armed men dug up the archaeological site of Tel-Sahlan in the countryside of Tel-Abyad with bulldozers and heavy vehicles, and smuggled antiquities into Turkish territory, in front of the eyes of the Turkish forces present in the area,” the sources said.
“The opposition factions, with the help of Turkish experts, are excavating the sites of Tel-Halaf and Tel- Jahash in the countryside of Sere Kaniye. The antiquities are smuggled to Turkey,” a local woman previously confirmed to North Press.
“The archaeological site of Tel-Halaf has been turned into a military site for the Turkish forces,” according to the sources.