According to the information obtained, the Faylaq Al-Sham (Sham legion) mercenary group backed by Ankara cut down about 700 olive trees to sell them as wood in the markets.

It is reported that 250 of the trees belonged to a civilian named Abud Bekir. The local man’s olive tree fields are located near the Kefer Nebo-Birc Heyder road in Sherawa district.

HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF OLIVE TREES CUT DOWN OR BURNT

The Turkish state established a rule based on terror and corruption in Afrin after it occupied the city in 2018. While olive and olive-based products, which are the main sources of income in the region, are stolen and commercialized on a global scale, thousands of trees have either been cut down and smuggled into Turkey or sold in occupied territories.

According to a report by the Afrin-Syria Human Rights Organization released on December 30, 2021, more than 333,900 olive trees and other trees in forest areas have been cut down in the past four years. 12 thousand olive trees and different types of trees have been burned.

“Olives, stolen goods and properties are sold as Turkish goods in world markets such as in Spain and the US. Since last year, the confiscated olive trees and other locally produced goods have been taken to the Hemam village of Jindires and transferred from there to Turkey,” the report revealed.