afrinpost-Exclusive
During the Newroz festivities on March 20th, militia members from the Turkish-allied “Al-Hamzat Brigade” detained six Kurdish citizens from the village of Atmana/Atman, in the Rajo district. They were forcibly prevented from lighting the traditional Newroz torch and extorted financially, under threat.
According to our reporter, the incident unfolded when the security leader of the “Al-Hamzat Brigade” militia, identified as “Mohammed Khair Al-Ria,” originally from Maarat Hurma village in Idlib province, summoned the following citizens without clear reasons: “Rifa’i Khalil Dawood” (45 years old), “Shiyar Ali Hamki” (38 years old), “Sheikh Musa Yousef” (70 years old), “Ali Hassan Batal” (26 years old), “Ali Habash Nasan” (55 years old), and “Arbil Azat Dwiko” (35 years old). They were taken to the militia’s security headquarters (formerly the municipality building) in Haji Khalil village.
After being detained for several hours, each individual was coerced into paying a sum of $300. Upon their release, they were warned that any attempt to light the Newroz torch would result in their rearrest and transfer to the “Al-Hamzat Brigade” militia in Afrin city. It’s worth noting that these six citizens have not left Atmana village since the occupation of the Afrin region.
It is worth mentioning that “Mohammed Khair Al-Ria” previously worked for one of the security branches affiliated with the Syrian regime before the Syrian war and defected. Currently, he serves as a security official for the “Al-Hamzat Brigade” militia in Atmana and Haji Khalil villages, as well as other villages under its control in the Rajo sub-district of occupied Afrin.
