Local sources in the northern countryside of Aleppo documented the arrest of two brothers from the Kurdish community in the village of Al-Nairabiya – the Shahba area in northern Aleppo countryside, following raids carried out by factions of the Turkish-backed “Syrian National Army” on December 11, 2025.
According to the information received, Khaled Ahmad Walo (45 years old), a resident of Al-Nairabiya, and Ziad Ahmad Walo (39 years old), Khaled’s brother, and also from the same village, were detained. The two brothers belong to the Kurdish community in northern Aleppo countryside.
Khaled Ahmad Walo was arrested on Thursday, December 11, 2025, from his home in the village of Al-Nairabiya, on an alleged charge of “dealing with the Autonomous Administration.” After his arrest, his brother Ziad went to one of the General Security headquarters in the city of Al-Bab in northern Aleppo countryside to inquire about Khaled’s fate, only to be arrested upon arrival due to his connection to his brother, despite the absence of any evidence or links to the Autonomous Administration, according to residents’ testimonies.
It later became clear that the arrest was based on a complaint filed by a resident of a neighboring village, who claimed that the two brothers were working with the Autonomous Administration. The men were taken to an unknown location without informing their families, which sparked widespread concern among their relatives and the village’s residents.
The arrest was carried out by members of the General Security in the city of Al-Bab, along with factions of the Turkey-aligned “National Army,” which controls and effectively administers the area. Residents’ accounts indicate that cases of arbitrary detention continue in the region in the absence of any legal procedures or independent judicial oversight.
This incident comes as part of a growing pattern of violations targeting civilians, particularly members of the Kurdish community in northern Aleppo countryside. These violations include arbitrary arrest, kidnapping, extortion, and ill-treatment, amid a state of security chaos and lack of accountability. The severity of these violations has increased since “Hayat Tahrir al-Sham” took control of the area on December 8, 2024, accompanied by a broader deterioration in the human rights situation.
The fate of the two brothers, Khaled and Ziad Ahmad Walo, remains unknown at the time of preparing this report, amid real concerns for their safety and continued incommunicado detention.
