Arbitrary Detention of 14 Kurdish Civilians in Rajo Sub-district, Afrin, for Three Days Amid Allegations of Torture, Temporary Enforced Disappearance, and Extortion
Local sources reported that 14 Kurdish civilians, including an elderly woman, were subjected to arbitrary arrest and detention for three days in the Rajo sub-district of the Afrin region, northern Syria. According to the sources, the incident followed a raid conducted by border guard personnel, in coordination with elements of the “Sultan Suleiman Shah (Al-Amshat)” militia, and under the supervision of Turkish intelligence. Documented information indicates that the reported violations included assault, humiliation, temporary enforced disappearance, and financial extortion, prior to the release of the detainees.
According to information received by the Rights Monitor Syria platform, the incident occurred on Friday, July 3, 2026, when those elements executed a raid targeting Kurdish civilians who were picnicking in the area, while others were standing in front of a grocery store on their way to the river.
According to the available information, the number of detainees reached approximately 14 Kurdish civilians. The names of several individuals were documented as follows:
Ali Muhammad Muhammad, resident of Rajo town.
Delir Suleiman bin Adham, resident of Haj Khalil village.
Mannan Saeed Mustafa, resident of Haj Khalil village.
Rashid Sheikho bin Idris, resident of Haj Khalil village.
Ali Horik Ismail, resident of Qasim village – Rajo sub-district.
Muhammad Sido Abdul Hanan, resident of Qasim village.
Hassan Hanan Sheikho, resident of Qasim village.
Yassin Qasim, resident of Shikhorzah village – Bulbul sub-district.
Murad Ziad Abdeen, resident of Rajo town.
Ali Kousa Hussein, resident of Rajo town.
Sources also reported the seizure of a “Veracruz” vehicle belonging to citizen Ali Muhammad Muhammad, bearing a registration plate from Tabqa city, in addition to the seizure of a silver van and two motorcycles belonging to Murad Ziad Abdeen and Ali Kousa Hussein.
The sources stated that the armed elements fired shots toward the ground and between the legs of the civilians to intimidate them and force the families present to leave the location, utilizing remarks described by sources as discriminatory and degrading.
According to documented information, 14 individuals, including an unidentified elderly woman, were arrested under the pretext of consuming alcohol and being present near the border.
In accordance with the documented information, all detainees were released at midnight on Sunday, July 5, 2026, after three days of detention. Sources confirmed that during their detention, they were subjected to physical assault, psychological and physical torture, and insults degrading to human dignity. Furthermore, sources indicated that some individuals were subjected to financial extortion, whereby several detainees were demanded to pay sums reaching up to $500 USD in exchange for their release or to mitigate the pressure and violations they faced.
This incident underscores ongoing human rights concerns regarding the situation of Kurdish civilians in the Afrin region, particularly in the Rajo sub-district, amid recurring reports of practices including arbitrary arrest, ill-treatment, and the restriction of freedom of movement in areas adjacent to the border strip.
This incident comes just one day after another documented event on July 4, 2026, when personnel from the Public Security Forces of the Syrian Interim Authority arrested ten Kurdish citizens from the Afrin region at the Al-Karama checkpoint in the rural area of Raqqa Governorate, while they were traveling with their families to Hasakah Governorate. According to available information, the arrest occurred following a search of their mobile phones, where images of Kurdish symbols and photos associated with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) were found, before they were taken to an unknown destination without the announcement of a clear legal basis for their detention or the disclosure of their whereabouts.
Both incidents reinforce concerns over the continuous targeting of Kurdish civilians with arbitrary apprehension and detention measures, which may severely impact the freedom of movement and security of returnees to the Afrin region, amid the ongoing return of displaced Kurds from northern and eastern Syria since the beginning of 2026. These events necessitate independent and transparent investigations into the reported violations, ensuring respect for international human rights standards, including the protection of civilians from arbitrary arrest, torture, enforced disappearance, and extortion, as well as guaranteeing their right to a fair trial and due process of law.
