Turkey-linked mercenaries destroy nature in Afrin

Turkish occupation forces and their mercenary allies, as well as murders, kidnapping and brutalities, continued to destroy and plunder the environment in Afrin. 

More villagers were kidnapped in Mabeta, trees were cut down in Bilbilê.

Since the Turkish state invaded Afrin in March 2018, it has systematically targeted civilians, civil infrastructures and nature.

While ethnic cleansing is carried out through demographic change, torture, detention, executions and massacres, people's livelihoods are plundered, historical sites are plundered or destroyed and the nature of the region is severely damaged.

Trees as enemies

Since 26 July, the mercenaries have been cutting down trees in the village of Uga in Bilbilê. The mercenaries were seen cutting down trees belonging to the people. In the video shown the says: "Do not be afraid of us, we are from the Turkish security."

Olive trees burned in a village

The mercenaries attacks on livelihoods and nature are not limited to cutting down trees. Olive trees are attacked systematically. On 6 July the mercenaries set on fire lands of olive trees in the village of Birimci, in Mabeta.

Yazidi reaction

The Yazidi refugees who stay in Serdem camp in Shehba reacted to the attacks of the Turkish state on their villages and livelihoods with a press statement on 20 June.

According to the statement, the occupying Turkish state and their mercenary allies recently cut more than a thousand olive trees in the Yazidi village of Basofanê.

3,000 hectares of land burned in Sharawa

On 28 May Turkey-bound mercenaries set the village of Kurzele in Sharawa on fire. The fire then spread to the land in Basile, Dermish, Sixuneke, Bene and Aqibe, Kimare and Kobere. In addition, thousands of pine trees were burned down in the pine forest in Sixuneke. As a result of this fire in Sharawa at least 3,000 hectares of land were burned.

Ethnic Cleansing

The attacks of the Turkish state against Afrin began on 20 January 2018 and the ground invasion of the city was carried out on 18 March. Since the invasion, war crimes have been systematically committed in the region. Almost every day, crimes such as the confiscation of property belonging to local people, kidnapping of civilians for ransom, torture or executions have been carried out. The Turkish regime and its mercenaries have kidnapped hundreds of people in the region of Afrin since the end of June.

Civilians kidnapped in Mabeta

The latest civilians being kidnapped have been on Saturday (27 July) in the village of Mamila in the town of Mabeta. It was learned that a mercenary group called Sultan Murat kidnapped three people, Ali Beg Cafer, Izat Kurdi and Nuri Kurdi. Their fate is unknown and relatives are concerned about their life.