The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights obtained a copy of an order issued by Syrian militia in Afrin, going by the name the National Army, demanding all factions to hand over olive trees to local councils, which are invested with the responsibility for the harvest and compressing of the oil.
The order was issued “against the backdrop of the seizure of most of the olive plantations in Afrin by the factions of operation Olive Branch,” according to the UK-based conflict monitory.
The militias had leased the groves they seized, receiving payments in advance, the Observatory added. The militias also control an extensive amount of the oil processing factories, stores and warehouses.
Afrin is famous for its olive trees. The Kurdish enclave in northwestern Syria was taken over by Turkish forces and their Syrian proxies in a two-month military offensive at the start of this year.
Turkey considers the Kurdish armed YPG and YPJ as branches of the PKK.
The Observatory described life in Afrin today as “daily scenes filled with persecution, arrest, looting, and robbery, without moving a muscle by the authorities responsible for the creation of all of this.”
They have documented numerous incidents of theft of both private and public property.
A refugee who fled Afrin with his family to the Kurdistan Region told Rudaw in the spring that the Syrian militias are opportunist thieves.
“They would even loot chickens and goats. There are videos and pictures of them looting goats. In fact, they don’t care about anything. They are robbers and thieves, nothing more than that,” said Ahmad Battal.
He accused Ankara of using them as “mercenaries.”
Turkish forces have reportedly had to intervene to break up disputes between the Syrian allies.
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