Ahmed Khaled Mamo, a 15-year-old Kurdish boy, was killed in Turkish-controlled Afrin (Efrîn), northern Syria, by a settler brought in by Turkey from the Idlib countryside, as reported by ANHA on Wednesday.
The settler, identified as Yamen Ahmed Al-Ibrahim, was employed at a bakery owned by the victim’s father. He reportedly killed the young boy and disposed of his body in a nearby water well. The entire crime was recorded by bystanders, according to Scharo Maroof of Kurdistan Monitor, who chose not to share the distressing footage online. In response, the victim’s family has called for a protest against the Turkish-backed forces and has refused to bury their son until the perpetrator is brought to justice.
This act has provoked widespread outrage, prompting the victim’s family to call on the people of Afrin to unite in demanding justice and an end to the ongoing violations against them. A large gathering mourned the loss, chanting resistance slogans such as “Shehid namirin” (“Martyrs don’t die”). In light of this event, a demonstration is scheduled for Thursday morning in front of the headquarters of the Turkish-controlled local police station in Afrin.
Further revelations have indicated that Yamen Ahmed Al-Ibrahim, who has been detained, was working with a larger group in this crime. However, Kurdish locals have voiced their doubt over the likelihood of a thorough investigation by the Turkish forces that have controlled the region since the 2018 invasion, a period that has seen numerous atrocities that could amount to war crimes, as outlined in a recent UN report.
With the community gearing up for the demonstration, there are heightened concerns about potential violence, especially after instances of Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) militiamen firing shots to disperse crowds have been reported. The incident has brought to the forefront the ongoing strife and grievances in the region, calling attention to the plight of Afrin’s residents under Turkish occupation.