Wahid Abu Bakr Sheikh Saleh, known as “Abu Bakr Barazi”, the Mukhtar (village chief) of Dayr Sawan village in the Sharan sub-district of the Afrin region, was killed after being shot by unidentified gunmen on the evening of Wednesday, June 3, 2026. This incident once again highlights the ongoing deterioration of the security situation in the region.
According to local sources, unidentified individuals riding a motorcycle targeted the Mukhtar with multiple gunshots while he was in the village square, inflicting severe injuries. He was subsequently transported to a hospital for medical treatment but succumbed to his wounds.
As of the time of writing this report, no official or reliable information is available regarding the identities of the perpetrators or the motives behind the killing, and no group has claimed responsibility for the incident.
This incident occurs against the backdrop of a persistent state of security lawlessness in the Afrin region, amid growing fears among residents regarding the absence of accountability and the continuous threats targeting civilians.
Furthermore, the incident coincides with the return of numbers of displaced Kurdish individuals to their areas of origin in Afrin after years of displacement, as part of the return processes that commenced at the beginning of 2026.
Since Turkish forces and affiliated Syrian factions seized control of the predominantly Kurdish region of Afrin on March 18, 2018, human rights organizations and local reports have documented a wide array of violations targeting the Kurdish population. These violations include killing, abduction, torture, extortion, and the seizure of property, alongside the displacement of a large number of the indigenous population from the region.
Following the announced agreement between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Syrian Transitional Authority led by Ahmed Al-Sharaa on January 29, 2026, convoys of displaced Kurds began returning to Afrin. Nevertheless, local reports continue to indicate the ongoing presence of settlers inside some of the homes of the indigenous population, in addition to documenting cases of vandalism and theft targeting a number of houses before they were evacuated and restored to their owners.
The killing of the Mukhtar of Dayr Sawan village warrants an independent and transparent investigation to uncover the circumstances of the crime and identify those responsible, thereby ensuring justice for the victim, holding the perpetrators accountable, and enhancing the protection of civilians in the region.
