HESNA MIHEMED

Shahba- Since Afrin was occupied by the Turkish state, the Turkish forces and Turkey-backed factions have been carrying out inhuman practices against the people of Afrin. Activists from Afrin have announced that dozens of women have been killed, subjected to rape, abduction and repression. According to the activists, a woman named Henîfa Musa Owlo living in the Gurzêlê village of Afrin’s Şêrewa town was killed by armed factions, a woman was raped in the Miskê village of Afrin’s Jindires town in October.

In an interview with NuJINHA, Yesmîn Qadêr, member of the Afrin Region Women’s House, said that women living in Afrin are subjected to inhuman practices.

“Women face repression in Afrin”

Underling that women have faced many inhuman practices by Turkish forces and Turkey-backed factions since Afrin was occupied by the Turkish state, Yesmîn Qadêr said, “In Afrin, women are subjected to rape, abduction, repression and death threats. The armed factions named Jabhat al-Nusra and Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham have been recently intensifying their inhuman practices against women. The members of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham force women to wear burqas and cover their faces and they punish women if women do not wear burqas. The people of Afrin are subjected to a special warfare waged by these factions. The people, who returned to Afrin, say they regret when they are subjected to inhuman practices by factions.

The fate of the abducted women is unknown

Highlighting that many women have been driven to suicide due to inhuman practices of the armed factions, Yesmîn Qadêr said, “The inhuman practices of the Turkish forces and Turkey-backed factions drive women suicide. In addition, the number of women, who are abducted and subjected to torture, increases. Some women killed themselves in desperation. Some women left Afrin to get rid of such practices. The number of abducted women is very high now. The fate of these women is still unknown. Some women were kept in prison for years.”

Call on international organizations

Calling on international human rights organizations and the international community, Yesmîn Qadêr said, “Protect the rights of women in Afrin. Do not remain silent against the inhuman practices carried out against them. As the Women's House, we do our best to protect these women from the atrocities of the armed factions. All international human rights organizations and the international community must protect the rights of women in Afrin. They must take actions against the inhuman practices carried out in Afrin by Turkey and Turkey-backed factions.”