Displaced Afrin families fear return despite Damascus-SDF agreement

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - As preparations begin for the first convoy of displaced Kurdish families to return to Afrin under a new agreement between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Damascus, many residents say fear and uncertainty are preventing them from going back.

Zakiya Mustafa Murad, a displaced resident from Afrin, told Rudaw's Viviyan Fetah in northeastern Hasaka province on Thursday that security concerns remain her main obstacle.

“We are afraid of their [the factions'] movements; they might hit us, they might kill us, or they might expel us. That is what we are afraid of,” she said.

Aras Shukri, another displaced person, voiced similar concerns, pointing to the continued presence of armed groups affiliated with the Syrian Arab Army in Afrin.

“Even if we return, the Amshat [militiamen] are in my house. If I go, what am I supposed to say to them? If I tell them to leave, problems will arise," Shukri said, adding that "previously, they committed killings, caused problems, and looted. We left that place for the sake of our honor and dignity.”

The Suleiman Shah Division, commonly known as al-Amshat, along with the Hamza Division (al-Hamzat), are Turkey-backed armed factions that have resisted integration into Syria’s new military structure formed after the ouster of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad.

Many families in Afrin, a predominantly Kurdish enclave in northwest Syria, have experienced repeated displacement.

They first fled in 2018 during the Turkish-backed offensive. They were displaced again in 2024 when the former Assad regime was ousted, and for a third time this year amid renewed fighting between the interim government and Kurdish forces in northern and northeast Syria (Rojava).

International organizations have since documented numerous human rights violations against the remaining Kurdish population, including looting, property seizures, and abuses by armed factions.

Ibrahim Sheikho, director of the Afrin Human Rights Organization, acknowledged that fear among residents is understandable but said the situation has changed.

“The people's fear is justified, but we see that the agreement provides a guarantee.The situation has changed; previously there were [uncontrolled] factions, but now there is General Security,” Sheikho told Rudaw.

The return of displaced persons is one of the key clauses in the recently announced agreement between the SDF and the Syrian government in Damascus, which was brokered internationally following weeks of fighting.

The latest wave of displacement came after a large-scale offensive launched in mid-January by the Syrian Arab Army and affiliated forces against the Kurdish-led SDF, Rojava’s de facto military force. The fighting spread across parts of Aleppo, Deir ez-Zor, Raqqa, and Hasaka provinces before the two sides announced a deal to end hostilities and integrate Rojava’s civil and military institutions under state authority.

Farida Ibo, a member of the committee for the return of Afrin displaced persons under the Kurdish Autonomous Administration, said logistical preparations are underway for the first convoy.

“Preparations have been made for 400 families to enter Afrin; they are from Mabata, Jindires, and Shiye. The date has not been determined yet because procedures and security arrangements are still being finalized,” Ibo said.

According to local officials, around 50,000 displaced people from Afrin are currently living across Hasaka province, spread over 150 displacement centers and private homes.

Vivyan Fetah contributed to this report from Rojava.