Syria
Settlers harvest olive crops from fields owned by Kurdish residents of Afrin who had been expelled from the enclave. Photo: Ibrahim Sheikho/Submitted
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Three newly elected members of Syria’s People’s Assembly have confirmed to Rudaw they have reached an agreement with the Damascus leadership to expedite the return of displaced landowners to Afrin, a Kurdish-majority region in northwest Syria, amid ongoing reports of widespread olive harvest looting by armed groups.
Afrin fell under the control of Turkish-backed Syrian militias in 2018, forcing thousands of Kurdish residents to flee to neighboring Shahba in northern Aleppo province. Since then, numerous international organizations have documented human rights violations against its remaining Kurdish population.
However, since the ouster of longtime Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad in early December, control of Afrin has largely shifted to General Security forces aligned with Syria’s new leadership.
Afrin lawmakers act
Mohammed Sido, Rankin Abdo, and Sheikh Saeed Zada - three lawmakers from Afrin elected in early October to Syria’s first post-Assad parliament - confirmed to Rudaw their joint efforts to address the plight of the people of the Kurdish enclave.
Zada stated that “most returnees have reclaimed their homes and properties,” except for a minority whose return has been delayed by “flimsy pretexts,” such as demands for extensive ownership documentation.
In light of the efforts by the three lawmakers, “The Damascus government summoned all the factional economies” that emerged after 2018 and “appointed economic committees with lawyers for each sub-district,” he explained. According to Zada, the committees are requesting documentation from returnees, however armed groups are exploiting the process to seize agricultural assets - especially olive harvests - by citing “lack of paperwork.”
The newly-elected lawmaker noted that he, along with Abdo, Sido and local dignitaries, have coordinated with relevant authorities to tackle land and crop seizures. This includes “deploying more patrols and responding to citizen complaints to curb theft and protect properties.”
In terms of legal proof for property ownership, Zada noted recent progress: “We’ve now reached a point where presenting a document from the mukhtar [village chief] along with two local witnesses is sufficient.”
For her part, Abdo emphasized the broader suffering in Afrin noting, “Farmers and citizens are enduring a harsh and arid season, further burdened by theft and transgressions.” She stressed to Rudaw, “We’ve spared no effort in conveying the voices of Afrin’s people to officials, who have shown cooperation,” stressing however that “more effective and firm mechanisms are needed to stop the violations.”
Sido echoed his colleagues’ concerns, saying, “Olive crops in Afrin’s countryside are being looted by outlaw groups exploiting the crisis. Many are from outside the region but have returned solely for the harvest.” He noted that local offices have been established to facilitate claims over harvests and property, though efforts so far are insufficient.
“We must intensify protection for the olive harvest, which is Afrin’s primary source of livelihood,” he stressed.
Asked by Rudaw how best to alleviate the suffering of Afrin’s residents - both those who remained and those recently returned - Sido responded, “We haven’t officially attended any parliamentary sessions or taken the oath yet, but we are using all available means to communicate the region’s ongoing tragedy to the relevant authorities.”
Law vs. looters
Rudaw had learned on Sunday that Afrin countryside is recording a severe surge in the looting of the olive harvest, primarily carried out by members of armed factions and affiliated settler families, with local authorities apparently failing to curb the violations.
Human rights activist Ibrahim Sheikho reported that looting is occurring "without any deterrent to curb these continuous violations and abuses.” He described the situation as a “locust campaign,” saying olives are being stolen “in front of the owners” without consequence.
In an apparent response, Afrin’s new administration - affiliated with the new Syria leadership - issued a decree on Sunday banning unauthorized olive purchasing points and threatening legal action, including confiscation of equipment.
However, Sheikho dismissed the order’s effectiveness, saying violations “are likely to continue until the harvest season ends in late December,” due to the entrenched dominance of armed groups.
Khaled Jamil Mohammed contributed to this report.
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