afrinpost-exclusive
For the past ten days, residents of Sherawa villages in Afrin’s countryside, recently controlled by the Turkish-backed Hamzat Division, have endured widespread abuses, mistreatment, and the targeting of young men for detention and abduction.
According to our correspondent and voice recordings obtained, residents of Meyaseh and Zarna’it villages in Sherawa have pleaded with human rights organizations to intervene. Armed members of the Hamzat Division have imposed a blockade, barring food supplies and bread from entering the villages.
A woman from Meyaseh stated in a recording, “We have nothing left to eat. They are denying us food and bread, and we are not allowed to leave the village or bring in supplies from neighboring areas.”
The militia has reportedly looted dozens of vehicles, motorcycles, jewelry, and money from civilians. The same woman noted, “The militants take pleasure in humiliating us and stealing everything in front of our eyes, and we cannot say a word.”
On the first day of their occupation, the Hamzat Division gathered villagers in a school and searched their mobile phones. Several young men were detained, while others remain missing with their whereabouts unknown. Kurdish residents report that armed fighters continue to search daily for remaining young men, prompting many to flee the area.
Residents of Sherawa villages have appealed to human rights and humanitarian organizations to intervene. They demand either safe evacuation from the villages or immediate action to halt the abuses.
A civilian convoy aiming to evacuate those trapped in Sherawa and Shahba was delayed for two days in al-Ahdath, and when finally permitted to move, it was blocked from reaching Sherawa by militia forces during daylight hours.
The ongoing violations in Sherawa highlight the urgent need for international intervention to address the systematic targeting of Kurdish civilians in Afrin by Turkish-backed militias. These actions constitute clear breaches of international humanitarian law and underscore the deteriorating human rights situation in the region.
