A spokesperson for Afrin Human Rights Organisation said 37 civilians were kidnapped in Afrin in northern Syria in July alone by units of the Turkish armed forces and their affiliated militias.
Speaking to ANHA, Ibrahim Şêxo emphasized that the demographic structure of Afrin was in the process of being redesigned, step by step.
Indicating that some of the civilians who had fled after the take-over of Afrin were trying to return and had been kidnapped by members of the Turkish intelligence units, Şêxo said that many of the kidnapped had not been heard of since, whilst others were released only after ransoms had been paid.
He shared information on two cases in which people who had been kidnapped were released. In one case, Hisên Hecî, residing in Bilbilê, was released after a ransom of 6,000 dollars was paid. In another case, Mihemed Şêxo was released and permitted to return to his home in Shera after a 1,000 dollar ransom was paid.
Şêxo stated that they had information that 21 homes and offices had been seized by units of the Turkish armed forces and affiliated militias in July, and farming permits of many agriculturalists were cancelled. Agricultural produce was also reportedly seized in nearly 30 villages by the Al Hamzat militia. One hundred and fifty olive trees were also reportedly seized from a single owner by the Sultan Murad militia.
Ibrahim Şêxo called for international action for the secure return of the Afrin people to their homes and to bring the offenders before justice for the crimes they have committed.
