SNA faction sets fire to old-growth trees in Syria’s Afrin
AFRIN, Syria (North Press) – A faction affiliated with the Turkish-backed armed opposition, aka the Syrian National Army (SNA), on Wednesday deliberately set fire to forests in Afrin region, northwestern Syria.
North Press correspondent reported that an armed group affiliated with the SNA’s Samarkand faction set fire to the forests of Mount Qazeqli in the town of Jindires, west of Afrin city.
He added, citing a local resident, that the purpose of starting fire is to log and use the burned trees to make charcoal and sell it in local market.
The fire is still ongoing with no efforts being made by the authorities there to extinguish them.
The city of Afrin, with the 366 towns and villages, have been under the Turkish occupation and the control of the SNA factions since 2018 following a military operation dubbed “Olive Branch” that aimed at pushing away the Kurdish People’s Protection units (YPG) under the pretext of protecting the “Turkish national security.”
Since the occupation of Afrin in 2018, SNA factions have been extensively logging trees and clearing large areas of land. This deforestation has transformed previously green spaces into barren landscapes, either for profit through the sale of timber or to make way for new settlements and accommodate families of SNA militants.