afrinpost – Exclusive
Armed militants from the Turkish-affiliated “Ahrar al-Sharqiya” militia have reportedly cut down 300 olive trees in Sindiyanke village, Jindires district, claiming that the land belongs to a cooperative association. In addition, they have cut down 200 olive trees in Fireriye village in the same district, allegedly to establish a new settlement and set up camps. The firewood has been transported to markets in Idlib province, according to our sources.
The Turkish authority is allegedly seeking to take advantage of the aftermath of the earthquake and the resulting collapse and damage of hundreds of residential buildings in Jindires, using it as a pretext to implement settlement plans. This has appeared on the ground as Qatari organizations with Islamist backgrounds entered Afrin to begin a settlement project named “City of Dignity” on February 12, 2023, which aims to rebuild the earthquake-damaged areas in northern Syria on the ruins of the Kurdish city.
