Another civilian kidnapped in Turkish-occupied Afrin

Local sources report that Turkish-backed mercenaries have kidnapped a civilian named Esed Mihemed Eli Heyder from the village of Hemam in Afrin’s Jindires district.

While the man was reportedly kidnapped while on his way back to Afrin Canton, his aftermath is unknown.

The Turkish state, with a soldiery of jihadists and right-wing extremists, established a regime of terror over Afrin, which they occupied in March 2018. Kidnapping, looting, ransomware, and displacement have been the order of the day ever since.

For the period between July 29 and August 23, the Afrin Human Rights Organization registered 101 abductions. 17 of the abductees were women. In addition, three minors were among those abducted. Often the abductees are taken to torture chambers run by mercenaries or the MIT and released after paying ransoms. However, abductees are repeatedly tortured to death and their bodies dumped in fields or other places. This creates a climate of terror and drives the Kurdish population away.