23/03/2026
Report: extensive and organized assaults on Kurds in Afrin, Aleppo and its countryside
On Saturday, March 21, 2026, the regions of Afrin, Aleppo, and its northern countryside witnessed a broad wave of assaults targeting Kurdish civilians during the Newroz celebrations (Cejna Newrozê). These violations occurred amid a field escalation and simultaneous media incitement, as documented by “Afrin Now”through video footage and field evidence verifying these incidents.
In the city of Azaz, captured footage reveals groups assaulting a Kurdish youth and torching his motorcycle—all for the simple act of raising the Kurdish flag.
This was not an isolated incident,additional scenes documented the burning of the flag at the Al-Shatt checkpoint, signaling a sharp escalation in the targeting of national symbols.
This surge in hostility coincides with a wave of online incitement, carrying direct and blatant threats against the Kurdish community.
Along the Aleppo – Afrin road, cases of road blockades were recorded at the junctions of Hreitan, Hayyan, Tel Rifaat, and Azaz. Groups intercepted Kurdish families, assaulting them and destroying their vehicles. Threats were also issued against anyone raising the Kurdish flag.
These incidents took place in full view of the Internal Security Forces, without any effective intervention being recorded to stop these violations.
Rigorous vehicle inspections were also reported, involving the seizure of Kurdish symbols in all forms—including flags, accessories, and clothing. Local residents have considered these actions as a direct assault on their national identity.
In Aleppo, footage from the Al-Fardous neighborhood captured two individuals tearing down a Kurdish flag from a vehicle during celebrations, signaling that the wave of incitement has now reached the heart of the city.
In the center of Afrin (Efrîn), the most severe violations were recorded. 'Afrin Now' documented the spread of provocative groups across several neighborhoods and streets, which coincided with direct assaults on Kurdish residents, including women. These incidents involved the destruction of vehicles and the shouting of racist verbal insults. Video footage also showed these groups desecrating the Kurdish flag in multiple locations, including placing it on the road near the bridge and forcing people to walk over it.
In another documented incident, a Kurdish family was attacked at the city entrance while returning from a celebration, resulting in a woman being injured. This occurred as groups continued to spread within the city, with reinforcements arriving from outside the region to join these movements.
Videos from Tel Rifaat documented groups attacking the Kurdish flag, involving Internal Security forces from the Syrian Interim Government.
Despite the Security Directorate in Aleppo and Afrin announcing the deployment of forces to control the situation, the footage showed the opposite. It recorded security members participating in or ignoring these violations, while even facilitating the groups' movement.
Official media and government agencies have turned a blind eye to these attacks, refusing to document or even mention them, despite their growing scale and the circulating video evidence.
According to reports, these attacks were not spontaneous; they were preceded by systematic provocations on the eve of Nowruz, Friday, March 20, 2026. The "Afrin Now" media outlet documented groups in the center of Afrin blocking roads, insulting Kurdish symbols and flags, and chanting provocative slogans. These actions took place in full view of internal security forces, who did not intervene, effectively paving the way for the escalation of events the following day. These incidents also preceded an event involving the lowering of the Syrian flag in the city of Kobanê.
These developments come amid a wave of incitement and media misinformation. The widespread circulation of hate speech and provocative content has fueled a tense environment, manifesting as simultaneous attacks across multiple locations.
The collective facts show that the events of March 21, 2026, were not isolated incidents. Rather, they were a series of systematic and simultaneous attacks targeting the Kurds and their national symbols across several regions—most notably in Efrîn, Azaz, the Aleppo-Afrin road, and Aleppo city. This took place amidst a total absence of effective intervention to stop them, sparking widespread resentment and outrage among the residents.
As of the time of writing this report, inciting groups continue to deploy across several locations within the Afrin (Efrîn) region. These groups are carrying out provocative actions against the Kurdish residents in full view of the Internal Security Forces, who have not intervened. This remains the case despite the groups posting their activities on social media and showing the faces of their members during the assaults.
