Documentations of turning an archaeological site into a Turkish military base

Afrin – North-Press Agency
Muhammad Ahmad

In light of the continued violations of the cultural heritage of Afrin region in northwestern Syria, the Turkish forces are deliberately turning the archaeological sites in the area into military bases, with the aim of destroying them within the strategy of ethnic cleansing and demographic change.

North-Press obtained new photos documenting the tuning of the archeological site of Tal Jinderis  in Afrin area into a military base by Turkish forces. As the photos show high concrete walls placed around the 2-hectare- hill, south of the city of Jinderis, while private sources confirmed to North-Press that the hill of which the military base is placed above, is witnessing operations of excavation in search of antiquities.

The sources added to North-Press  that the Turkish forces prevented the people of the region from approaching the military base, amid heavily guarded area that has been controlled by Turkey and affiliated armed opposition groups since the 8th of March, 2018.

Earlier, North-Press, quoting local sources from Afrin region, has said that the military base is surrounded by surveillance cameras, where there are members of the Turkish forces and Turkish-backed opposition groups.

It is reported that all the houses located around Tal Jinderis  were destroyed by Turkish forces and affiliated armed opposition groups during their operation in Afrin region on January 20 last year.

Iit is noteworthy that the Turkish forces have established many military bases for their forces in different areas of Afrin, since they took control with the affiliated armed opposition groups over Afrin region, on the 18th of March last year, causing the displacement of more than 350,000 people from the region.