State of the Occupation 2023: 5 years after Afrin’s Occupation – The unseen consequences

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OccupationReport2023Download

RIC’s report on the state of the Turkish occupation in Northern Syria tracks human rights violations and crimes committed by Turkey and Turkish-backed SNA groups in the occupied regions of Afrin, the ‘M4 Strip’ – the border region between the occupied cities of Sere Kaniye and Tel Abyad- and the al-Bab/Azaz/Jarablus Triangle.

The report includes detailed analysis of fights between different SNA factions, HTS influence on these battles, HTS’ impact on the Deir ez-Zor unrests, the Syria-Turkey earthquake, Ankara-Damascus Reconciliation and the SNC election disputes.

RIC found among other things:

  • During 2023, RIC documented 2,201 crimes in the Afrin Region. These crimes were committed in 1,201 separate incidents and impacted at least 1,710 victims.
  • RIC recorded a total of 205 crimes in 42 events in the M4 Strip. The majority of these crimes were related to human smuggling across the border with Turkey. Sultan Murad and Ahrar al-Sharqiya were identified as the two main perpetrators among the SNA militias.
  • Crimes remained high in the al-Bab/Azaz/Jarablus Triangle, similar to the previous year, several big protests took place. The report highlights the role the Muslim Brotherhood might have played in these events.
  • It is important to reiterate that many of the crimes committed are ethnically motivated. The Kurdish and Yazidi populations are facing systematic persecution. It is also important to note that the Arabs who do not comply with the SNA, or who are accused of sympathizing with DAANES, are victims of these crimes as well. Indigenous communities have endured and suffered the imposition of an occupation that shows no sign of ending, whether through continual arrests and kidnappings, or the imposition of taxes and violations of their properties.
  • The situation for women has consistently deteriorated since the commencement of the Turkish occupation. An atmosphere of fear has emerged, accompanied by a troubling increase in the prevalence of child and forced marriages.
  • Despite the ‘safe zone’ rhetoric promoted by the Turkish government and repeated by many international media outlets, the realities attested to in this report necessitate the attention of the international community and human rights organizations.

Journalists and researchers may contact RIC to gain access to the full database, as well as our interactive map showing faction ownership and geolocated bases within occupied territory. These maps formed the basis for those featured in our report, which were designed by @LCarabinier.