URFA - Turkey and the paramilitary forces affiliated with Turkey kave left nothing behind belonging to Kurds in the last 5 years in Afrin. Education in Kurdish was ended, names of places were translated to Turkish, Turkish flags were hung everywhere and harassment, rape, plunder of nature and kidnapping increased day by day.
The "Arab Belt" action plan policy, which was put into practice by the Baath regime led by Hafez Assad in Syria in 1973, is being carried out by Turkey today. The Baath regime, within the scope of its 50-year-old plan, gave 1 million acres of Kurdish-owned land in Northern and Eastern Syria to the Arab tribes it brought from cities such as Raqqa and Aleppo. Thus, it was aimed to change the demographic structure in the cities of Northern and Eastern Syria. However, despite all efforts, the action plan did not yield the desired result.
'ARAB BELT' PLAN
Today, Turkey has activated the policy that the Baath regime failed to achieve. Turkey has been displacing Kurds in cities such as Azez, Bab, Jarablus, Afrin and Serêkaniyê, which Turkey has taken under its control since 2011, when the civil war broke out in Syria, and resettled them with Arabs.
According to the plan described by AKP President Tayyip Erdoğan at the United Nations (UN) General Assembly; 140 villages with a population of 5 thousand and 10 districts with a population of 30 thousand will be built in the 32-kilometer-deep region of the border extending to the border of the Federated Kurdistan Region. 1 decare of land will be given to each household that will be settled here. 82.6 million square meters of land will be needed for 140 villages and 10 million square meters of land for 10 districts. The size of the land to be distributed for agriculture will reach 140 million square meters.
The families that Erdogan aims to relocate to areas, most of which are inhabited by Kurds, are the paramilitary forces and their relatives, whom Erdoğan used as proxies over the years.
TURKIFICATION PLAN
While it is not known how "successful" the plan will be, similar practices are being implemented one by one in Afrin, the Northern and Eastern Syrian city controlled by Turkey and paramilitary forces. In addition to the "Arab Belt" plan, Turkification efforts are in effect in Afrin.
On January 20, 2018, Turkey launched an attack on Afrin, also known as the "Kurdish Mountain (Çiyayê Kurmênc)". Afrin Autonomous Administration decided to "withdraw" after civilians were targeted in the attacks. Afrin city center and some of its districts came under the control of Turkey and its affiliated paramilitary forces on March 18.
450 THOUSAND PEOPLE SETTLED TO THE PLACES EVACUATED BY KURDS
More than 300,000 people had to leave Afrin due to the ongoing attacks. The Kurdish population, which was 98 percent before the attacks, decreased to 20 percent after the attacks. According to the data of the Syria-Afrin Human Rights Organization, paramilitary forces and their families have been settled in the places evacuated by the Kurds. According to the data, more than 450 thousand people settled in Afrin's villages and districts in 5 years. Most of these people were brought from the south of Idlib, Aleppo and the Eastern Ghouta region of Damascus.
NAMES OF INSTITUTIONS TRANSLATED TO TURKISH
Turkey has abolished Kurdish in all institutions and organisations. While Turkish flags were hung all around, the names of streets, villages and public institutions were translated to Turkish. The name of the Azadi (Freedom) Square in Afrin is now Atatürk Square. The name of the Newroz Junction is now Selahattin Junction, The name of Kawayê Hesinkar Junction was changed to Olive Branch.
POSTERS OF ERDOGAN AND TURKISH FLAGS
Giving Ottoman names to strategic Kurdish regions, Turkey and its affiliated gangs hung pictures of President Erdoğan from the AKP, as well as Turkish flags.
While posters in Turkish began to be hung in shops and streets, the sacred places of Yazidis were also plundered. In addition, Turkish identity cards are issued to everyone.
8 THOUSAND 595 PEOPLE ABDUCTED
In addition to the Turkishization policies, many inhumane practices were experienced in the last 5-years. Paramilitary forces affiliated with Turkey kidnap many people on a daily basis, either killing them or putting them through severe torture. Hundreds of women were exposed to harassment and rape in this process.
Syria-Afrin Human Rights Organization announced that Turkey and its paramilitary forces kidnapped 8,595 civilians, the fate of almost half of them unknown. A ransom is demanded from the relatives of many people in exchange for their release.
According to the same data, at least 96 women were murdered in the last 5 years, 72 women were raped.
368 THOUSAND OLIVE TREES CUT
There was a great looting not only against people but also against nature. At least 368,000 olive trees and different tree species were cut down in the last 5-years. The wood obtained from the trees was sold in the markets. More than 17 thousand olive trees were burned. In addition, 12 thousand hectares of forest area was set on fire.
TURNED INTO GLOBAL TRADE
Olives confiscated after Turkey's attacks on Afrin were also turned into global trade. Documents published in November 2018 revealed that a protocol on looting was signed between Turkey and armed groups. The protocol revealed that the olives obtained were donated to some investors in Turkey and sold to different countries from there.
PLUNDERING
The homes of tens of thousands of civilians who had to migrate were confiscated. Many houses have been converted into prisons or outposts of paramilitary forces.
Historical places also got their share of looting. According to the data of the Directorate of Historical Works of Afrin, there were 96 historical hills in the city. Most of these hills were excavated and plundered. More than 28 historical places and warehouses were destroyed, more than 15 cemeteries were plundered. A cemetery was also converted into a livestock market. The railway line that go through Meydan Ekbes village in Raco district to Kefer Cenê village of Sherawa, and from there through Qitmê village, was sold to merchants in Ezaz.
ATTACK AGAINST CEMETERY
The bodies of YPG members who lost their lives during the attacks were laid to rest in the Avesta Cemetery. Anadolu Agency (AA) published a story about the bodies exhumed from here as "mass graves", claiming that they belonged to the people executed by the YPG.
MILITARY BASES AND PRISONS
The places that were burned, destroyed and confiscated were either turned into prisons or police stations. The prisons and police stations built were shared by paramilitary groups. Some prisons are:
* Transfer Prison: Former Transport and Administration Building. It is controlled by the paramilitary forces of Jabhat al-Shamiya, which has split from the government of Damascus. Civilians kidnapped from Afrin are held here.
* Prison in Tirindê village: It is under the control of the National Intelligence Organization (MIT). It is described as the 'most dangerous' prison. The abducted persons are subjected to all kinds of physical and psychological torture here.
* Eşrefiye Prison: It is under the control of paramilitary forces affiliated with Turkey.
* Vêlat Street Prison: An old house. Ahrar al-Sharqiye controls this place.
* Mehmudiyê Prison: Under the control of Firqet El-Hemzat forces. Dozens of people are being held here. Women are kept in 2 rooms.
* Courthouse Prison: Under the control of Cebhet El-Şamiye. It is used for kidnapped children and women.
SCHOOLS TURNED INTO PRISONS
* Efr's Ezhar School Dungeon: Under the control of Ehrar Al-Sharqiye forces and MIT.
* Itihad El-Erebi School Dungeon: under the control of Cebhet El-Şamiye. Many women are held here. It also has a military base.
* Al-Karama School Dungeon: Controlled by Feyleq Al-Sham. A military base was established in it.
* Emir Xubari School Dungeon: It is located across Freedom Square.
SEVERE TORTURE IN MAKESHIFT PRISONS
Schools in the villages of Afrin are also used as military bases or prisons. In Bilbilê, 27 of 39 schools were either completely or partially destroyed. The rest were turned into military bases. Almost all of the 50 schools in Cindirês district were destroyed. The school in the center was turned into an arsenal of paramilitary forces. People held in places that have been turned into prisons are subjected to severe torture.
'GENOCIDE IN AFRIN'
Syria-Afrin Human Rights Organization Spokesperson İbrahim Şêxo evaluated the events in the last 5-years. Describing the situation in Afrin as "genocide", Şêxo said, "There are many violations of rights such as arrest, kidnapping, pillage, confiscation of property, rape, forced marriage. Again, they intervene the demographic structure. Since March 18, 300 thousand people from Afrin were forced to leave. They were replaced by 450 thousand Arabs, Turkmens and nearly 500 Palestinians and their families."
Noting that Afrin is controlled by Turkey in every sense, Şêxo said, "They control all educational, security, etc. administrative institutions in Afrin. The governor sent from Turkey came to Afrin and settled in the old Afrin Palace. All the steps taken and the decisions taken are the decisions taken from Turkey. They annexed the village of Hamamê in the Cinderes district to Iskenderun in 2019. They opened a road here and started to use this place for all arrivals and departures."
EDUCATION IN TURKISH AND ARABIC
Şêxo continued: "Turkish flags and pictures of Erdoğan were hung all over the place. Many city squares were renamed and given Turkish names. In addition, villages in Afrin were given the names of former Ottoman sultans. Turkish lira began to be used as a trade currency in Afrin. Education in Turkish has become the compulsory language of education. Kurdish has been ebolished in education. Arabic and Turkish are the languages in education. Kurds are forced to speak in Arabic."
Stating that the Kurds are going through a worse period than they have experienced during the Syrian regime, Şêxo emphasized that the thousand-year-old history of Afrin is being destroyed.
MA / Ömer Akın