Occupation forces abduct 30 people in a village of Afrin

Never-ending reports of abductions and ransom demands from the Turkish-occupied Afrin are coming through on daily basis. On Sunday, 30 people were kidnapped from a village in the district of Shiye.

Hundreds of people have been abducted since the occupation of the northern Syrian city of Afrin by the Turkish state and its jihadist militias. Every day more reports are received about abductions, looting and torture in the city and surrounding territory.

It came out that members of Turkish-backed militia Jabhat al-Shamiya raided Çeqela village in Afrin’s Shiye district last Sunday and abducted 30 residents, including women and children. Thirteen of the abductees were released today for ransom payments of $ 3,000 each. 17 more people are still in the hands of the occupiers because their relatives cannot afford the ransom.

Members of abducted Ehmed Bekir's family told ANF: "The mercenaries of Jabhat al-Shamiya raided our village on July 22 and abducted two people from each house. Among them are several young girls. Because they were all armed, we could not talk to them even. They have constantly insulted us. In total, 30 inhabitants of the village were abducted. About three hours later, they demanded $ 3,000 in ransom for each kidnapped person. The mercenaries said they would murder the civilians if their demand was not met."

According to an abduction victim who was released today, the kidnapped residents of Çeqela were subjected to severe torture: "The militiamen blindfolded us. All our belongings, including our mobile phones, have been taken away. We do not know where we were taken to. The place where we were detained is about 1.5 hours from our village. In an underground bunker we were verbally abused, insulted and tortured by five people. Resident Heyder Hec Heyder Momed had his both arms broken by them."

The 17 villagers who are still in Jabhat al-Shamiya's hands, and who have not been heard from, are:

1. Ebid El-Rihmen Xelîl Mustefa

2. Mihemed Xelîl Mustefa

3. Elî Daxlî Çûçik

4. Edanan Daxlî Çûçik

5. Mihemed Hesen Erselen

6. Ehmed Hesen Erselen

7. Hesen Enwer Usmen

8. Bêrem Ebdo Kalo

9. Bedriyê Ebid El-Rihmen Hesûn

10. Bêrem Heyder Xezo

11. Xelîl Tahêr Erselen

12. Ehmed Bekir Mihemed

13. Keça Ehmed Bekir Mihemed

14. Conik

15. Idrîs Ehmed Mustefe

16. Xelîl Ehmed Mustefa

17. Heyder Hec Heyder Momed