{"id":126293,"date":"2025-05-31T12:22:56","date_gmt":"2025-05-31T12:22:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/npasyria.com\/en\/?p=126293"},"modified":"2025-05-31T12:22:58","modified_gmt":"2025-05-31T12:22:58","slug":"afrin-settlements-nearly-abandoned-after-sna-families-departure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/npasyria.com\/en\/126293\/","title":{"rendered":"Afrin settlements nearly abandoned after SNA families’ departure\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

AFRIN, Syria (North Press) \u2013<\/strong> A local council official in Afrin city, northwestern Syria, said on Saturday that many of the settlements in the region have become \u201cnearly empty\u201d of incoming residents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The official, who requested anonymity, added that there are plans to dismantle unregulated housing while preserving some of the more structured developments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The settlements in question were established in the aftermath of Turkey\u2019s military operation in Afrin in the winter of 2018. As part of this campaign, dozens of families affiliated with Syrian armed factions, known as the Syrian National Army (SNA), that were supported by Turkey were relocated to Afrin and housed on lands belonging to the original Kurdish inhabitants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Humanitarian organizations based in Turkey, Qatar, Palestine, and Kuwait financed the construction of dozens of these settlements, often on land seized from local residents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

International human rights reports have documented the forced displacement of nearly 90 percent of Afrin\u2019s original population.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, dozens of displaced families have begun returning to Afrin individually. However, some have reportedly faced abuses by armed groups operating in the area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) has called for the return of the displaced under international protection and in coordination with Syria\u2019s transitional government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Afrin council official noted that no clear directives have been issued regarding the future of the settlements, emphasizing that the final decision rests with the transitional Syrian government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He added that many of the informal settlements are under review for removal, while others may be retained based on structural integrity and future planning needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the official, the majority of these settlements were abandoned after the fall of the previous Syrian government, with many departing residents stripping homes of doors, windows, and other fixtures before returning to their original regions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA significant number of settlers still remain in some of these settlements,\u201d he said, \u201cwaiting for reconstruction efforts in their home areas, which were destroyed over 14 years of war.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also noted that many of the settlements are equipped with facilities and infrastructure that could later be used to support development projects in Afrin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Siwar Hamo<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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