The elderly Kurdish civilian Adel Abdul Hanan Naasan (66 years old), a resident of Shitka (Şîtka) village in Mobata (Maabatli) district, Afrin region, was killed on Tuesday, 28 July 2026.

According to preliminary information, the victim’s body was found near the junction of Feqîra village in Jindires district while he was returning from cultivating his olive grove. The initial examination indicated that he died from gunshot wounds.

Available information indicates that the victim left his home in the morning to work on his agricultural land. When he failed to return at the expected time, his family began searching for him and later discovered his body at the scene. The victim had recently returned to the Afrin region as part of the organized return of local residents from the Jazira region.

On the evening of the same day, the village of Shitka witnessed widespread public anger and resentment, as the crime deeply shocked local residents. Concerns further escalated following reports that a note containing racially motivated language and threats directed against Kurdish civilians had been found at the crime scene, heightening fears that the murder may have been exploited to inflame tensions in the area.

This killing comes amid the continuing deterioration of the security situation in the Afrin region, where several killings under mysterious circumstances have been recorded in recent months. These incidents have intensified concerns over the persistence of impunity and the limited effectiveness of investigations, undermining public confidence in the ability of the de facto authorities and the security and judicial institutions to identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice in accordance with the law.

The recurring incidents documented in recent months point to a pattern of attacks targeting Kurdish civilians, particularly elderly individuals, while they are in or on their way to olive groves. This raises serious questions as to whether these crimes form part of a systematic pattern, making it imperative to conduct independent, prompt, effective, and impartial investigations to establish the full circumstances of these crimes, identify those responsible, and ensure accountability.

Kurdish Lawyers Union
Monitoring, Documentation and Archiving Committee