Houses in SNA-held Syria’s Jindires being robbed after earthquake
AFRIN, Syria (North Press) – In the past few days, empty houses in the town of Jindires, west of Afrin in Aleppo northern countryside, whose owners fled for fear of the Feb. 6 earthquake, were stolen.
An exclusive source told North Press that dozens of houses have been stolen after residents evacuated them, fleeing the earthquake.
Jindires is the most affected area in Syria by the earthquake, killing 513 individuals, injuring 831 others, destroying 200 buildings, and causing partial damages to 500 others.
Among the stolen items were electrical devices, domestic items and power wires amid inaction by the Turkish-backed security bodies that run the town.
Additionally, Turkish-backed armed opposition factions, also known as the Syrian National Army (SNA), steal life-saving relief sent to the earthquake-affected people by different parties.
Settlers also steal the aid taking advantage of the chaos and exploiting the absence of Kurds – the original people of Jindires – who have fled their houses to nearby villages due to the earthquake.
Those settlers came to the region following the occupation of the city of Afrin and its countryside by Turkey in 2018.
Turkey has occupied Afrin following the so-called “Olive Branch” military operation 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.
On Tuesday, a convoy loaded with aid arrived in the SNA-held areas coming from northeast Syria to support the people affected by the earthquake.