afrinpost– Exclusive
Militants affiliated with the Turkish forces have reportedly cut down 34 olive and pomegranate trees belonging to Kurdish citizens in the occupied region of Afrin. According tolocal sources,” the militants targeted the trees with the intention of illegally trafficking their timber.
The armed militants cut down 16 pomegranate trees belonging to Mr. Abdou Hussein, a resident of the village of Ain Dara in the central district of Afrin. In addition, militants associated with the Turkish-backed “al-Hamzat” militia cut down 18 olive trees owned by Mr. Ibrahim Mustafa, a resident of the village of Jwaiq. Mr. Mustafa had previously demanded the return of his father’s property in the village, which had been seized by the “Hamzat” militia, but his request was met with his abduction.
In a similar incident, a member of the Turkish-backed “Ahrar al-Sham” militia cut down the remaining trees in the field of Mr. Nouri Najjar on the outskirts of al-Ashrafieh neighborhood. It should be noted that the “Faylaq al-Sham” militia has been responsible for cutting down over 200 trees belonging to Mr. Nouri over the past five years, as well as cutting down trees owned by Sheikh Huss family from Tirindê village, in the same area.
