afrinpost – Exclusive
Recent investigations by afrinpost have unveiled a disturbing trend involving armed individuals associated with the Turkish-backed “Sultan Murad” militia. These individuals have been maliciously concocting allegations of “sexual harassment against women and children” targeting Kurdish citizens residing in areas under the militia’s control within the Bulbul sub-district of Afrin. This insidious campaign appears designed to extract financial and social concessions from the accused, all within the framework of the broader displacement policy being pursued against the indigenous population of Afrin in northern Syria.
afrinpost has meticulously documented five such cases where individuals were unfairly subjected to these fabricated charges. Out of paramount concern for their safety, we have opted not to disclose their identities. In these instances, members of the militia unjustly accused these individuals of engaging in harassment against women and children within their own families, including figures who hold esteemed positions within the community. Subsequently, these militia members resorted to menacing threats, including the threat of lethal force, unless others intervened to negotiate resolutions according to their manipulative plan.
According to reliable sources, the “honor restitution” demanded from the victims ranged between $3,000 and $5,000, with one exception where the victim managed to escape Afrin to safeguard their life. Regrettably, in this particular case, the armed individuals seized the victim’s residence along with all its possessions.
In a separate case, as reported by a reputable human rights organization, the Civil Police militia falsely accused Dr. Mohammed Farid Akash, a Kurdish forensic doctor, of sexually harassing a child laborer in his employ. These militia members arrested Dr. Akash and subsequently demanded a substantial financial ransom from his family in exchange for his release.
Dr. Mohammed Farid Akash, a 60-year-old dental specialist, endured a violent assault by members of the Civil Police militia in Afrin on August 19, 2023. This brutal act transpired within his professional laboratory, witnessed by his patients. The charges against him pertained to alleged misconduct involving a 14-year-old child laborer named “Youssef Andan.”
The group of armed individuals responsible for this attack included the brother of the child, who was also subjected to a second merciless beating when taken into custody at the Civil Police headquarters. These actions inflicted various injuries, most notably to the child’s back, purportedly during the course of an investigation by the Civil Investigative Judge.
The Civil Police militia demanded a substantial financial ransom of $7,000 USD for Dr. Akash’s release, coupled with the stipulation that he depart entirely from the Afrin region within the forthcoming days. Consequently, Dr. Mohammed Akash’s family has been forced to consider the sale of their residence and clinic.
