Rojava Information Center published a report presenting the situation of the Afrin region of North and East Syria, which has been under Turkish occupation since March 2018. As the regions of Sere Kaniye and Tel Abyad and surrounding countryside have fallen under control of Turkey and its proxies, useful parallels can be drawn from studying Turkey’s track record in the occupation of Afrin.

Prior to occupation, Afrin was part of the democratic system of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, and enjoyed a relatively high level of stability, economic prosperity and gender equality. Since the area has been taken over by Turkish backed forces – many of which subscribe to jihadist ideology – the people of the region are experiencing forced displacement, demographic engineering, human rights violations and widespread violence.

Two years of the Turkish occupation of Afrin in numbers:

543 civilians killed, including 489 in Turkish bombings and 54 under torture

6000+ kidnappings for ransom and arbitrary arrests, of which 3300 victims are still missing

700 instances of torture

50 women killed, 210 injured

60 confirmed rapes by Turkish-backed forces, including of children

10 children killed in single shelling Dec 2019, 41 total deaths in shelling since end of operation

50 armed factions imposing hijab, forced marriage, demographic change

150,000 olive trees cut down & sold, 10,000 burned

140 of 300 olive presses looted

70,000 tons of olive oil looted & exported to Turkey in 2018 alone

64 schools partially or totally destroyed

10 religious sites desecrated

17 archaeological sites looted

The figures were obtained via the Violations Documentation Center of North and East Syria. The report 'Turkey's track record: The occupation of Afrin' provides a more in-depth look at the Turkish occupation - including forced Turkification, Islamification and demographic engineering.

Download the original report.