afrinpost-Exclusive
IDPs hailing from Adra town in the Damascus countryside, and reportedly affiliated with the expelled (Jaish al-Islam) militia from Afrin, subjected Kurdish merchant Ahmed Rashid Bakr to a brutal assault and death threats in Rajo district. This incident underscores the ongoing plight of the original Kurdish inhabitants amidst the occupation of the region.
According to our sources, the altercation ensued when the 48-year-old merchant, Ahmed, was returning home and his Kia vehicle, laden with oil cans, collided with a motorbike. What began as a minor collision escalated into a verbal dispute, during which one of the IDPs brandished a knife and summoned reinforcements via a private WhatsApp group. A mob of assailants descended upon Ahmed, viciously assaulting him until he managed to flee to the security office of the Ahrar al-Sharqiya militia for refuge. However, the assailants pursued him, prompting intervention from security personnel to defuse the situation. Nevertheless, the threat of violence lingered, with the attackers menacingly vowing to harm Ahmed at the first opportunity.
Among the identified assailants are individuals known as Abu Fahd, proprietor of a mobile phone shop, and Abu Shahada. These IDPs, purportedly former affiliates of the Jaish al-Islam militia in Afrin, are originally from Eastern Ghouta, near Damascus.
This harrowing incident underscores the escalating tensions and security challenges faced by the Kurdish populace in Afrin under the shadow of Turkish control over the reagin.
