afrinpost-Exclusive
Continuing their campaign of terror and intimidation against civilians, Turkish-allied armed militias in Afrin have transformed into gangs engaging in kidnapping, theft, and grave violations against civilians. Leaders of the “Suqour al-Shamal” militia threatened a Kurdish citizen and his wife with death upon their return and demand for their home, after years of forced displacement from their village in the Rajo district of occupied Afrin.
According to our correspondent, the individuals known as “Abu Abdullah al-Zurba” and his deputy, known as “Al-Batoushi,” leaders of the Suqour al-Shamal militia in Rajo district, threatened citizen “Hussein Ismail Mustafa” (65 years old) with death or forced return from displacement, falsely accusing him of murder within the militia’s military police.
The correspondent clarified that citizen “Hussein” returned with his wife about a month and a half ago to their village, Hobka, after years of displacement to Aleppo city, and demanded their home, which is being occupied by the son of the brother of the aforementioned “Abu Abdullah al-Zurba.” However, “Zurba” fabricated a case with the militia’s military police regarding the killing of his sons, falsely accusing “Hussein.”
It is worth mentioning that “Zurba” seizes several olive fields and a house in the village of Hobka, as well as two commercial stores in the town of Rajo, in addition to two olive fields in “Al-Sharqiya” and “Ninth” militias’ sectors outside the village.
He also seizes several cars belonging to the residents of the villages of Hobka and Sheikh Billo, refusing to return them despite their demands. He prohibits anyone from entering the forests of Mount Hawar, aiming to monopolize its timber for his own benefit, and opens a charcoal kiln in Rajo to produce charcoal for trading.
As for his deputy, known as “Al-Batoushi,” hailing from the city of Tabqa, he is known for his bad reputation and numerous violations and assaults in Rajo district, being directly responsible for all the militia’s violations and activities in the village of Hobka. It’s worth noting that both the leader and his deputy were formerly affiliated with the Islamic State organization “ISIS” before their transition to the occupied Afrin region.
Abu Abdullah al-Zurba 
Al-Batoushi
