afrinpost-Exclusive
In their relentless violations, Turkish-affiliated SNA militias are engaging in the trafficking of agricultural properties belonging to Kurdish citizens, which were seized from them through the use of force. These actions disregard the environmental damage caused to the agricultural landscape, including tree felling and soil degradation, in the occupied Afrin region.
In this context, the “Suqour Hayan” militia, which controls the Bulbul sub-district, has seized around 18,000 olive trees from the properties of Bulbul residents. This is in stark contrast to its possession of only 30 olive trees in 2019, according to statements from its members.
The militia either sells the olive fields or cuts down the trees, using their private workshops to sell the firewood in the markets of Afrin and Idlib.
Recently, they sold around a thousand olive trees to an IDP from Ariha in Idlib province named “Tahir Kan’an.” This IDP is awaiting the olive season to begin cutting and selling the wood in the upcoming winter.
It’s worth noting that the IDP “Tahir Kan’an” has a firewood selling center in al-Ashrafieh neighborhood of Afrin, along with a main sales center in his hometown Ariha.
“afrinpost” reported dozens of firewood selling centers in the city of Afrin alone in February 2023. According to private sources, continuous tree cutting has led to the destruction of approximately 25,000 hectares of woodland, which used to include various tree species like pine, cypress, cedar, and hawthorn. In addition, militants have cut down over half a million olive trees, not to mention dozens of ancient trees that were distributed across villages, constituting a part of local residents’ memories.
