Settlers in Afrin demand Turkish-backed groups exit city

North-Press Agency  

On Friday, thousands of settlers demonstrated in Afrin, northwestern Syria, demanding the exit of the Turkish-backed armed opposition groups from the city after the escalation of the pace of the violations by these groups against the residents and settlers in the city. 

On Thursday, a member of a Turkish-backed armed group attacked a settler loyal to another group who refused to give him free food, leading to the death of a child and another settler.

Demonstrators demanded the exit of the Turkish-backed armed opposition groups from the city, holding signs with the slogan "Afrin is free…groups must leave,” according to footage posted on social media. 

Afrin region is witnessing continued violations against local residents. The Violations Documentation Center in Northern Syria (VDC-NSY) documented 15 cases of violations within 15 days in May.

In March 2018, Turkish forces and their affiliated armed opposition groups took control of Afrin, leading to the displacement of more than 300,000 people from the city and its countryside, according to local and international human rights organizations.