Opposition factions continue violating Syria’s Afrin people and trees
ALEPPO NORTHERN COUNTRYSIDE, Syria (North Press) – The areas under the control of the Turkish forces and the affiliated opposition factions in the northern countryside of Aleppo are witnessing a remarkable continuation of violations amid the spread of the security chaos, as well as murders, kidnappings and arbitrary arrests.
“The Turkish forces and the opposition factions stationed in Afrin and Azaz, north of Aleppo, targeted with 20 artillery shells the villages of Bilounia and Ain Digna, without causing casualties or material damage,” a military source told North Press on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, the village of Shawargha and the vicinity of Binh (Abyan) village in the countryside of Sherawa district of Afrin were hit with similar Turkish artillery shelling, without causing any casualties, according to the same source.
Infighting and Clashes
A member of Al-Mu’tasim Division was killed and two others were wounded on Monday, as a result of violent clashes with the Ninth Division faction in the city of Afrin, a local source told North Press.
The same day witnessed violent clashes between two groups of the Levant Front faction, which is one of the pro-Turkey National Army loyal factions, near al-Qabban roundabout in the center of Afrin, with medium and light machine guns, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
On April 18, a woman, three members of the Civil Police and four members of the Islamic Ahrar al-Sham faction were wounded in the city of al-Bab, east of Aleppo, following a dispute between the two parties.
On April 16, al-Ghazawiya crossing, which links the areas held by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in the countryside of Aleppo and Idlib, and the areas held by the Sham Legion faction in the countryside of Aleppo, was closed for two consecutive days.
Informed sources said that the crossing was closed after members of the Sham Legion arrested members of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, to which the latter’s members arrested respond also to the arrest of a number of the Sham Legion members while passing through one of their checkpoints.
A heinous crime
On April 19, a Syrian woman, who resides in a camp for the displaced in the city of Afrin, which is under the control of Turkey and the Syrian opposition factions loyal to it, revealed a heinous crime against her child at the hands of her husband.
The displaced said that her 13-year-old daughter, had been raped by her husband for four years.
Arrests and kidnappings
On Thursday, the Human Rights Organization, Afrin – Syria, said that “members of the Levant Front faction arrested Luqman Hassan, Mukhtar of the village of Hajj Qasma in the countryside of Mabata district, on charges of dealing with the Autonomous Administration during its rule over Afrin.”
In a similar incident, members of a patrol belonging to the Hamza Division arrested Jihad Daoud, Mukhtar of the village of Dar Kreh in the countryside of Mabata district, from his home, without knowing the reasons behind his arrest.
On April 17, a patrol of the Military Police arrested Muhammad Majid (35), Mukhtar of Arab Wiran village in the countryside of Sharan district, on charges of being with members of the Levant Front while cutting down forest trees.
The organization concerned with documenting violations in Afrin said that the Levant Front members were forcing the Mukhtar, Majid to accompany them.
In a related context, on April 15, the Military Police released a citizen from the village of Khalta in Rajo district, in exchange for a ransom of $400.
Violations against nature
As far the nature, the month of April has witnessed an increase in the cutting down of fruit and forest trees by Turkish-backed opposition factions in Afrin.
300 olive trees on a land at the entrance to the town of Jindires in Afrin countryside, owned by Joan Youssef, a resident of al-Ghazawiya village, were cut down by the members of Nour al-Din al-Zenki faction.
On April 19, about 30 olive trees were cut down and sold as logs for heating by the members of Liwa al-Shamal.
The Hamza Division had a share in the violations, as its members cut down about 35 olive trees owned by a person from the village of Qraba in Jinderis district of Afrin.