Two new reports from Turkish-controlled Afrin (Efrîn) in northern Syria have shed light on the ongoing violence and humanitarian crisis in the area, with over 1,300 shells fired in Turkish-backed aerial and ground assaults during the month of September, resulting in civilian casualties.
The Afrin-Syria Human Rights Organisation has documented a series of violations perpetrated by Turkish-backed militias against the civilian population in September, as reported by local media outlet Hawar News. These violations included murder, torture, forced displacement and confiscation of property. The report identified six civilian deaths, two of which were as a result of shelling, while the remaining four took their own lives due to the intolerable circumstances they were facing. Furthermore, 26 individuals sustained injuries, with over 20 of them, including women and children, injured during an incident in the village of Kaxir in Ma’batli (Mabeta).
The report also highlighted the environmental and economic impact of the conflict. It is alleged that Turkish-backed militias have cut down approximately 1,000 olive trees for commercial purposes, seizing property and forcing civilians to surrender their lands, particularly in Kaxir. The construction of a 300-unit settlement in the Jinderes (Cindirês) district, funded by Turkish-affiliated organisations such as the Mir Selman Humanitarian Aid Centre, represents a significant example of forced demographic change.
The report concluded by noting the intentional burning of forests and olive groves across Afrin, which has had a serious detrimental impact on local economic conditions and resulted in further displacement of residents. Over the course of the month, more than 50 individuals from Afrin were abducted by militias.
Meanwhile, a report from the Afrin-Shehba Canton Defence Forces provided a comprehensive account of the military operations between 1 and 30 September. A total of 88 attacks were carried out by Turkish forces on 32 villages and rural areas in Afrin, utilising heavy artillery, drones and rockets. On 9 September, Mihemed Sadiq, a 30-year-old civilian, was killed in a Turkish strike on Dêr Cemal village. In another attack on Tinibê village, two children, aged four and six, sustained serious injuries.
Furthermore, the local force’s report corroborated the existence of a pattern of indiscriminate violence against civilians, including the utilisation of drones and mortars, which has resulted in the devastation of villages and the displacement of families.
These dual reports serve to emphasise the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Afrin, as Turkish-backed forces persist in targeting civilians, looting property, and altering the demographic composition of the region through resettlement initiatives.
