Turkish-backed factions cut down 56 olive trees in Syria’s Afrin
AFRIN, Syria (North Press) – On Sunday, the Turkish-backed armed opposition factions, also known as the Syrian National Army (SNA), cut down 56 olive trees belonging to the original people of Afrin in north of Aleppo, northwestern Syria.
A local source told North Press that members of Sultan Murad Division unjustly chopped down 36 olive trees belonging to Muhammad Fozi, Mustafa Khalil, and Ziyad Khalil from the village of Barava in Sharran district, east of Afrin.
On the other hand, members of al-Hamza Division cut down 20 trees belonging to Awfa Subhi and Shiraz Na’san in the village of Tellef in Jindires district, west of Afrin.
On January 15, the Muhammad al-Fateh faction cut down 15 olive trees in the village of Sheikh in Rajo district, north of Afrin.
The Kurdish city of Afrin and its countryside have been under the occupation of Turkey since March 2018 following a Turkish military operation dubbed “Olive Branch” to push away the People’s Protection Units (YPG) under the pretext of protecting the Turkish “national security”.
The operation caused the displacement of about 300.000 of the original inhabitants of the Kurds of Afrin who have been taking shelter in 42 villages and five camps in Aleppo northern countryside, locally known as Shahba region, since then.