[NPASYRIA] On Thursday, human rights
...not to be confused with individual rights, mind you...
organizations operating in northeast Syria, issued a report documenting violations committed by the Ottoman Turkish forces and the armed opposition groups in Afrin region, northwest Syria, over three years.
The report was prepared by the Human Rights Organization in the Jazira region, the Human Rights Organization in Afrin — Syria, the Rojava Center for Strategic Studies, in addition to women’s organizations and human rights unions.
"The Ottoman Turkish invasion on March 18, 2018, caused the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people, amounting to about 80% of Afrin’s indigenous population," the report said.
"The artillery, air strikes and military operations during the incursion killed 498 civilians and injured more than 696 others, including 303 children and 213 women," it added.
The report pointed out that 64 schools were destroyed during the military operations, and more than 50,000 students were deprived of the right to education, in addition to closing educational centers, and turning them into military headquarters, detention and investigation centers.
In addition, the Ottoman Turkish language has been imposed in schools.
"The killings and kidnappings reached 943 people in 2018, dozens of whom were killed under torture or were executed without trial on charges of dealing with the Autonomous Administration," according to the report.
"During 2018, dozens of critical sites and health, educational and service facilities were targeted, including Afrin Hospital, Meydanki Dam, ambulances and water purification station."
"In 2019, 6,000 people were kidnapped in Afrin, of whom 330 were whose fate is still unknown, and 700 people were tortured," the report noted.
It mentioned that young children were kidnapped, filmed and the videos were sent to their families to blackmail them, and force them to pay ransoms which sometimes mounts to $100,000.
"95 people were killed in 2019 as a result of the military operations and torture in detention facilities, and 2,400 people were maimed due to the bombardments and explosions of mines and booby traps," as the report stated.
The report discussed that the Ottoman Turkish shelling took place in December 2019 on the city of Tel Rifaat, 35 km north of Aleppo, killed 8 children and 2 adults, and maimed 9 others and 8 adults."
The report also documented "40 women were killed and 128 injured, in addition to the recording of 60 cases of sexual violence, most of which occurred against minors, in the same year."
In 2020, the report indicated that "58 people were killed, including 9 women, and 987 people were kidnapped, as well as recording 39 explosions, killing and wounding 170 people."
According to the report, "35 women were kidnapped, in addition to recording 67 cases of sexual violence against women, including minors, and documenting five cases of forced marriage by the gangs."
The report highlighted the violations that took place during the first three months of 2021, when "15 non-combatants were killed, including four women and kiddies."
It pointed out that 153 civilians, including 15 women and kiddies, were kidnapped.
The report counted 3,000 olive trees were cut down by the gangs, in addition to looting and destroying 15 archaeological hills in the region. 
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