“Olive Branch” area in 2023 | Nearly 1,200 human rights violations…18 explosions and factional infightings…119 casualties in acts of violence
SOHR calls on the international community to intervene immediately and protect civilians from systematic violations by Turkish-backed factions
Since Turkish forces and their proxy factions captured several areas in north-western Aleppo, namely Afrin canton, after a military operation known as “Olive Branch”, humanitarian crises have been emerging and worsening gradually, with violations, attacks and explosions occur almost daily. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) has monitored and tracked prominent developments and gross violations in these areas in 2023, which can be summarised in the following main points:
Acts of violence leaves scores of fatalities
In 2023, SOHR has documented the death of 68 people and injury of over 51 others in areas under the control of Turkish forces and factions operating under the banner of “Olive Branch” operations room in the north-western countryside of Aleppo. A breakdown of fatalities is as follows:
-30 civilians, including a little girl and four women:
- Nine civilians were killed by Turkish-backed factions.
- Nine civilians, including a little girl and three women, were murdered.
- Five civilians were killed in bombardment by Kurdish and regime forces.
- Three civilians, including a woman, were killed in gunfire during family infightings.
- Two civilians died under torture in prisons of the factions.
- Two civilians were killed in explosions.
-37 combatants:
- 21 killed by Kurdish forces.
- Six shot dead by unknown gunmen.
- Four killed in explosions.
- Three killed in factional infightings.
– ISIS commander was killed by Turkish forces.
Here is a monthly breakdown of fatalities in “Olive Branch” area in 2023:
- January: One civilian.
- February: One civilian.
- March: Seven people: five civilians and two combatants.
- April: Seven people: three civilians and four combatants.
- May: No fatalities were documented.
- June: Four people: three civilians and one combatant.
- July: 15 people: one civilian and 14 combatants.
- August: Nine civilians.
- September: Nine people: two civilians and seven combatants.
- October: Eight people: one civilian and seven combatants.
- November: Four people: one civilian and three combatants.
- December: Three civilians.
Infightings and explosions
“Olive Branch” area in north-west Aleppo countryside experienced nine tribal, factional and family infightings in 202, which left six fatalities: three civilians, including a woman, and three combatants. In addition, tens others sustained various injuries.
Also, in 2023, nine explosions occurred in “Olive Branch” area, which were caused by detonating IEDs and landmines. Those explosions left six fatalities: two civilians and five combatants. Here is a monthly distribution of those infightings and explosions:
-January:
- Infightings: 1
- Explosions: 1
-February:
- Infightings: 1
- Explosions: No explosions were documented
-March:
- Infightings: No infightings were documented
- Explosions: No explosions were documented
-April:
- Infightings: 1
- Explosions: No explosions were documented
-May:
- Infightings: 1
- Explosions: No explosions were documented
-June:
- Infightings: No infightings were documented
- Explosions: 2
-July:
- Infightings: 2
- Explosions: 1
-August:
- Infightings: 1
- Explosions: No explosions were documented
-September:
- Infightings: No infightings were documented
- Explosions: 2
-October:
- Infightings: 2
- Explosions: No explosions were documented
-November:
- Infightings: No infightings were documented
- Explosions: 1
-December:
- Infightings: No infightings were documented
- Explosions: 2
Arbitrary arrests and kidnaps
Beside the explosions and infightings which badly impacted the daily activity of civilians and triggered public anger, SOHR activities documented, in 2023, the arbitrary arrest of over 379 people, including three children and 22 women, as well as the kidnapping of at least 28 other. Here is a monthly breakdown of arbitrary arrests and kidnaps in “Olive Branch” area in 2023:
-January:
- Arrests: 38 people, including two women.
- Kidnaps: One person.
-February:
- Arrests: Ten people.
- Kidnaps: Four persons.
-March:
- Arrests: 15 people.
- Kidnaps: No kidnaps were documented.
-April:
- Arrests: 30 people.
- Kidnaps: Four persons.
-May:
- Arrests: 33 people, including a little girl and three women.
- Kidnaps: No kidnaps were documented.
-June:
- Arrests: 24 people, including two women.
- Kidnaps: Two persons.
-July:
- Arrests: 34 people, including two women.
- Kidnaps: Five persons.
-August:
- Arrests: 45 people, including a woman.
- Kidnaps: Seven persons.
-September:
- Arrests: 53 people, including a child and four women.
- Kidnaps: No kidnaps were documented.
-October:
- Arrests: 47 people, including five women.
- Kidnaps: No kidnaps were documented.
-November:
- Arrests: 23 people, including a child and a woman.
- Kidnaps: Four persons.
-December:
- Arrests: 27 people, including two women.
- Kidnaps: One person.
Moreover, SOHR has documented over 784 other violations in 2023, which are distributed as follows:
- 57 incidents of seizure of houses, shops, cars and farmlands by members and commanders of Turkish-backed factions in Afrin city and surrounding districts. The seized properties belonged to people who have been forced to displace from Afrin canton during the “Olive Branch” operation.
- 199 incidents of felling fruit-bearing trees, were over 17,346 olive trees were cut down in different villages and districts in Afrin.
- 283 incidents of imposition of levies on civilians by the factions, police, the military court and local councils.
- 45 thefts of civilian properties, mostly committed by Turkish-backed militiamen.
- 137 incidents of selling displaced people’s houses which had been seized earlier by Turkish-backed factions by force. The houses were sold at low prices and in US dollar in particular.
- 59 assaults of civilians by members of factions operating under the banner of the “National Army.”
- Four incidents of excavation and digging work and sabotage in archaeological hills and sites.
The monthly distribution of these violations is as follows:
- January: 89
- February: 62
- March: 64
- April: 89
- May: 105
- June: 55
- July: 108
- August: 45
- September: 28
- October: 31
- November: 56
- December: 52
Demographic change
As a part of ongoing efforts to change the demography of Afrin city and surrounding villages and construct new settlements, SOHR sources reported on January 4 that a new residential complex dubbed “Ajnadeen Felasteen” was established under the supervision of Turkish forces and their proxy factions, in Jendires district in Afrin countryside in northern Aleppo. According to SOHR sources, the construction of 40 houses were accomplished and handed over by “Idlib Al-Watan” organisation to members of Ahrar Al-Sham faction which dominates several villages in the district.
The project included the establishment of 200 houses and other services and facilities, including a school, a mosque and a sharia Koranic institute, which the project was implemented on a four-acres-plot of land belonging to two brothers called “Majeed and Murad Mannan” who are from Shitka, were each man owned two acres. The land was taken over by force following the occupation of Afrin in 2018.
It is worth noting that Turkish forces and their proxy factions have intentionally brought displaced people from different Syrian cities and settled them in properties of Afrin’s indigenous civilians, after having forced them to leave the canton.
Furthermore, “Ahrar Al-Sharqiyah” faction established a new residential complex overlooking the road between Jendires and Afrin, after having felled 280 trees belonging to two displaced persons from Shitka village in Ma’batli district in Afrin countryside in order to house families loyal to the faction.
According to SOHR sources, the complex supposed to comprise 200 prefabricated houses provided by the Palestinian organisation of “Ajnadeen Felasteen,” after a contract was signed with “Ahrar Al-Sharqiyah” faction, with Turkey’s consensus. According to this contract, the complex would be under direct supervision of the organisation. It is worth noting that 20 prefabricated houses were sent to the new complex, while the remaining houses would be delivered in batches.
It seems that violations in “Olive Branch” area will not stop as long as Turkish forces and their proxies keep breaching all international laws and charters, while no party or international or regional player is exhibiting any willingness to put an end to these “grave” violations, despite SOHR repeated warnings about the dreadful humanitarian situation in the region.
The Syrian Observatory would like to point out that all information and figures mentioned in this report have been documented and updated until the date of publication, December 27.
