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Report: Hundreds of trees are cut down in Afrin to build an illegal village

In its report on the illegal resettlement of fighters of the opposition’s Syrian National Army (SNA) and their families in Afrin, “Syrians for Truth and Justice (STJ)” reveals the complicity of humanitarian organizations, Syrian and international in this project.
The project supports internally displaced people (IDPs) to resettle in Afrin, which has historically identified as a Syrian Kurdish-majority region.
The project, launched by the "Ihsan Relief and Development" organization in "Jindires" district, began in 2019 by cutting hundreds of forest trees on a local hillside, according to exclusive satellite footage obtained by STJ.
It was implemented on the lands seized in the aftermath of the Operation Olive Branch in 2018, during which thousands of locals were displaced, and the “settlement” area is under the direct control of the “Samarkand Brigade” faction of the SNA’s First Corps, supported by Turkey.
The report also found that the "al-Sham Humanitarian Foundation", under the supervision of the Kuwaiti “Rahma International Society” organization, participated in serving a part of the project and encouraging IDPs from other Syrian regions to settle in that village.

These two organizations played a key role in building Jabal al-Ahlam (Mountain of Dreams), most of which was devoted to housing fighters and their families, which is an example of forced demographic change which has occurred throughout the Syrian conflict, according to the report.
The village that was established by the "Ihsan" organization consists of two residential blocks (an eastern and a western block). It is one of nine villages and human settlements, whose construction work began after the Turkish military occupation of the Afrin region, according to the description of Amnesty International, which documented different patterns of violations after the occupation.
Afrin: Demographic change and ethnic cleansing
The Syrian Justice and Accountability Center (SJAC), also concluded that because Turkey exercises effective control over parts of northern Syria, including both exercising military control and enforcing Turkish laws, running schools, and organizing other institutions, it has obligations as an occupying power under the Fourth Geneva Convention.
According to reliable sources of STJ, all of these illegal villages were built upon the approval of the Afrin City Local Council (ACLC) and based on the instructions of Rahmi Doğan, governor of the Turkish State of Hatay, and the Turkish official responsible for this area.
To read the full report, please click on the link below
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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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