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Elderly Kurd Detained in Afrin.. For Demanding Return of His Confiscated Properties
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The timing of the agricultural nursery owner's arrest reveals attempts to deter original residents from claiming their rights to recover confiscated properties

"Military Police" militia elements in Afrin arrested citizen Mohammed Walid Hassan (58 years old) from Barka village in Mobata/Maabatli district.
Local sources explained that Hassan, owner of an agricultural nursery, was arrested for filing an official complaint against a settler from Retyan town in northern Aleppo countryside. Sources reported that the settler had seized four houses belonging to Hassan, located near Afrin River on "Trenda" road south of the city.
The arrest coincides with escalating complaints from local residents about property confiscation and their inability to reclaim their rights through legal channels, while the incident renews fears of continued intimidation of original residents in the region and preventing them from demanding the return of their confiscated properties.
Human rights organizations point to ongoing violations in Afrin city since its occupation by Syrian opposition armed factions in 2018, documenting widespread property confiscation, olive tree cutting, and imposing levies on original residents.
Rights statistics indicate thousands of houses have been confiscated in Afrin, alongside tens of thousands of cases of ancient olive trees being cut down, not to mention thousands of kidnapping and ransom cases.
Demographic change operations continue in the region through settling families from other Syrian areas in forcibly displaced people's homes, with settlers exceeding 75% of total population, according to observers' estimates.
Original Kurdish residents complain of restricted movement freedom, constraints on Kurdish language use in schools, and changing village names and historical landmarks, amid ignored international demands to stop these practices.
Rights activists confirm that citizen Hassan's case represents a recurring pattern of original residents' suffering, who face the choice of staying silent about their rights violations or risking arrest and intimidation when trying to recover them through "legal channels."
Levant-Agencies
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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