By As’ad al-Haj
AFRIN, Syria (North Press) – Since the beginning of 2023, particularly after the devastating earthquake that struck southern Turkey and northern Syria on Feb. 6, there has been an increase in the efforts of local and international humanitarian organizations, in coordination with Turkey, to rebuild settlements in Afrin region, northwestern Syria.
Turkey has exploited international sympathy and support for the earthquake victims to construct large villages equipped with roads, mosques, and schools, neglecting the reconstruction of the damaged buildings in the area.
North Press published several reports on the significant donations that arrived in the region. According to information included in those reports based on exclusive sources, all the received funds were used for constructing houses and villages. A majority of these donations, however, were not directed towards the earthquake victims but rather benefited militants of the Turkish-backed armed opposition factions, aka the Syrian National Army (SNA).
The Kurdish-region of Afrin has been under the occupation of Turkey and the control of the SNA factions since 2018 following the so-called Olive Branch military operation.
After February 2023, Afrin witnessed a significant increase in the number of the settlements and housing units that have been constructed by Turkish-backed NGOs.
The number of settlements built in Afrin and its countryside has surpassed 40, distributed across the towns of Jindires, Rajo, Sharran, and Sheikh Hadid (Shiye).
The largest settlement was constructed near the village of Ghazawiyah, south of Afrin, and the village of al-Khalidiyah, southeast of the city of Afrin. These areas were completely unaffected by the earthquake.
Shadi al-Horani, a pseudonym for a member of the SNA-affiliated local council in the city of Afrin, told North Press that the number of villages built by international and local organizations in Afrin has exceeded 25 since the beginning of the year.
Seven of these settlements were constructed near Ghazawiyah between May and August, while approximately eight others were built in al-Khalidiyah forest, also known as Ahlam Mountain, southeast of Afrin during the same period.
In addition, five settlements were established in the Jindires district, while the remaining ones are located in Sheikh Hadid, Mabata, and Sharran.
Al-Hurani emphasized that several projects are still being studied, and some have already been approved, with plans to commence them at the beginning of the current year.
The Turkish organization (AFAD) is tasked with coordinating the construction operations of all these villages and selecting the building sites.
The Turkish organization, along with a number of other Gulf-based and Palestinian NGOs, have been contributing and funding the construction of settlements in the Turkish-occupied areas in northern Syria even before the earthquake, where Syrians families from other areas are being housed in, meaning that a process of demographic change is being achieved, according to press and human rights reports.
Al-Horani pointed out that the Turkish organization AFAD is tasked with coordinating the construction operations of all these villages, as well as selecting the construction sites.
He further explained that the organizations involved in implementing those settlements are not many and they include White Hands (Beyaz Eller), supported by Kuwait and Palestine, the Sham al-Khair Association, supported by Qatar, and the Ahel al-Wafa Association, supported by Palestine.
These organizations primarily depend on individual donations, along with other local associations that also rely heavily on individual support from Qatar, Kuwait, and Palestine. According to al-Horani, the Qatari Red Crescent is recognized as one of the principle backers of these associations.
Haytham Darwish, a pseudonym for a member of the local council of Jindires, stressed to North Press that until now, none of the earthquake victims have received any of the houses being built near Jindires or in other areas.
Since early 2023, the process of building settlements in areas near cities and villages, as well as, lands belonging to the original inhabitants has started, and the last settlement was built in a forest in al-Mahmoudiyah neighborhood within Afrin.
Earlier, the village of “Palestine Ajnadine,” was built on the eastern outskirts of the town of Jindires. This reveals Turkey’s new plan to “integrate” IDPs and refugees – Syrians deported from Turkey – with the residents of the nearby villages, marking a clear step by Turkey to complete the demographic change scheme in the region, according to Darwish.
Ibrahim Sheikho, spokesperson of Human Rights Organization-Afrin, a local NGO, told North Press that owners of the land, on which the settlement was built, were pressured. Those responsible for building the settlement have recently started expanding the space under the name of “al-Amal village,” which is under construction now.
“This land belongs to the residents of the village, who have nothing to do but to keep silent,” Sheikho added, “Despite the presence of organizations that claim protecting the civil society, but in reality no leases have been concluded with the owners, as well as, they buy lands at the gunpoint.”