Local sources reported that forces affiliated with the Syrian Interim Authority detained at least 23 Kurdish citizens residing in the village of Ashmah, located in the western countryside of Kobani (Ayn al-Arab) in Aleppo Governorate, on Wednesday, June 10, 2026. The detentions occurred during a security campaign that followed a localized dispute between two young shepherds in the area.
According to local testimonies, the incident began following a minor altercation between a child from the predominantly Kurdish village of Ashmah and another from the predominantly Arab village of Ja’dah, which was resolved on the spot. However, security patrols belonging to the Interim Authority arrived in the village Detention of Over 20 Kurdish Citizens in Ashmah Village, Kobani Countryside, Amid Allegations of Discriminatory Violations
Local sources reported that forces affiliated with the Syrian Interim Authority detained at least 23 Kurdish citizens residing in the village of Ashmah, located in the western countryside of Kobani (Ayn al-Arab) in Aleppo Governorate, on Wednesday, June 10, 2026. The detentions occurred during a security campaign that followed a localized dispute between two young shepherds in the area.
According to local testimonies, the incident began following a minor altercation between a child from the predominantly Kurdish village of Ashmah and another from the predominantly Arab village of Ja’dah, which was resolved on the spot. However, security patrols belonging to the Interim Authority arrived in the village later that evening, executing a widespread campaign of raids and detentions.
Sources stated that the personnel conducting the operation belong to what is currently known as the “72nd Division,” which comprises elements from the former “Al-Hamzat” and “Al-Amshat” factions—two armed factions previously backed by Turkey in northern Syria.
Local residents reported that the security operation was accompanied by assaults on several civilians, including women, damage to private property, and the seizure of belongings during the raids. Sources further confirmed that the security forces detained 23 men and youths from the village.
Several residents expressed their belief that the detentions were discriminatory based on ethnic background, pointing out that the security measures and detentions were strictly confined to the Kurdish village of Ashmah, while no similar measures were recorded in the village of Ja’dah, which was involved in the original dispute.
Local testimonies also indicated that gunmen from the same factions set fire to agricultural crops belonging to Kurdish residents in the area, causing material losses to the population, according to the sources.
On its part, the Ministry of Interior of the Syrian Interim Authority issued a statement announcing that the Internal Security Forces executed security operations following “attacks targeting security checkpoints and headquarters in the village of Al-Awniyah and its surroundings in the Ayn al-Arab (Kobani) region, east of Aleppo.”
The statement added that the Internal Security Forces “apprehended 20 individuals involved in these unlawful acts and restored calm and security to the region, while continuing to pursue the remaining fugitives to bring them to justice.”
The Ministry further stated that any attack on state institutions or unlawful conduct would be considered an assault against the Syrian state, asserting that it would deal with “the utmost firmness” with any violations affecting public security or state institutions.
This incident occurs amidst mounting reports of violations targeting Kurdish citizens in Aleppo city and its countryside in recent months. According to local testimonies and reports, these violations include cases of arbitrary detention, repeated security summonses of Kurdish youths, practices described as degrading during searches, and invasions of privacy.
These developments coincide with the return of batches of displaced persons to their areas of origin in northern Syria, amid human rights demands emphasizing the necessity of ensuring a safe and dignified return for the population, investigating all allegations of violations, and holding those responsible accountable in accordance with legal and human rights standards.
