Discovery of a Mass Grave in al-Naqqireen Near Aleppo

Reports have emerged of a mass grave containing more than 270 bodies in al-Naqqireen, near the city of Aleppo. The bodies are believed to belong to victims of the Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham attacks that targeted the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh neighborhoods on January 6.

According to a report by Derviş Cimen in the newspaper Yeni Özgür Politika, information continues to surface regarding citizens who were abducted, disappeared, and killed following the attacks on Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh in Aleppo on January 6. A mass grave containing 270 bodies was discovered in al-Naqqireen, east of Aleppo, along the international M4 highway. The site lies approximately 10 kilometers from Ashrafiyeh, indicating that the majority of the bodies likely belong to civilians killed during the attacks.

As a result of the assaults carried out by armed groups affiliated with the Damascus Interim Government and Turkey between January 6 and 29, tens of thousands of Kurds were displaced from their homes, hundreds were killed, and many others were abducted. Despite the agreement reached with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the fate of the missing, abducted, and dead remains unclear. Local sources indicate that uncertainty continues to surround those who were abducted and forcibly disappeared.

According to the reports, Franziska Stier, a member of parliament for the canton of Basel and part of the international delegation that visited Rojava, raised the issue of the missing Kurds. Nisrin Suleiman, director of the Association of Afrin Displaced Persons, explained that there is no information about nearly 3,000 people, and that their whereabouts and fate remain unknown. She stressed that the issue of the missing has continued to worsen ever since the occupation of Afrin in 2018.

SDF Commander Mazloum Abdi had previously stated that the number of detainees held by the Damascus Interim Government, including civilians, had reached 1,070 people. Under the agreement between the SDF and the Damascus Interim Government, 300 detainees were released on March 19, yet local sources report that a large proportion of those released had no connection to the recent attacks.

Nisrin Suleiman stated that the attacks which began on January 6 were carried out by groups affiliated with Turkey and the Syrian Interim Government forces. She said:

“The attacks continued for eight days. During this period, communication lines were cut, civilians were isolated from the outside world, and many were forced to leave their neighborhoods at night. Some were abducted or taken hostage at checkpoints established along the roads.”

Nisrin Suleiman also pointed out that as the SDF withdrew from certain areas, armed groups targeted civilians. She said that numerous killings, abductions, and massacres occurred during this operation. She further noted that due to the presence of various armed factions in Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor, they were unable to obtain accurate information about the missing and the dead.

It was also reported that the release of hostages and the return of displaced people were discussed in meetings held between Mahmoud Khalil, Deputy Commander of the Internal Security Forces in al-Hasakah, and Ahmed al-Sharaa. A committee was also formed to follow up on the situation. However, the area remains shrouded in uncertainty, and there is still no clear information regarding the missing persons.

Nisrin Suleiman further stated that the exchange of detainees is still ongoing, but that there are certain problems, particularly concerning the release of women. She emphasized the need to treat the issue of the missing separately from the prisoner exchange process. She explained that one of the biggest challenges lies in not knowing whether the abducted individuals are alive or dead.

She also stressed the necessity of forming an independent delegation that includes representatives from institutions such as the United Nations and the European Union to investigate the area. She called for an inquiry into the situation of the Kurds who were abducted and killed, and affirmed that all forms of support would be provided if international mechanisms were activated.

Information published in the reports further indicated the discovery of a mass grave containing 270 bodies in a canal in the al-Naqqireen area, based on eyewitness testimonies. Nisrin Suleiman stated that some armed groups had demanded ransom payments from the families of abductees and attempted to hand over their bodies in exchange for money. She explained that due to the security conditions, it has not been possible to conduct a direct investigation in the area, but the incoming information is extremely serious.

The location of al-Naqqireen significantly increases the likelihood that the bodies belong to those who were abducted from Ashrafiyeh and Sheikh Maqsoud and buried there. Local sources also indicate that the actual number of bodies in the mass grave may be higher than what has been officially announced.