The Missing Afrin Women Project is dedicated to document the crimes carried out by the mercenaries affiliated to the Turkish state in Afrin. The project has recorded over 200 cases of women abducted by mercenaries since the invasion of Afrin in March 2018.
Each reported incident is listed with the name of the individual, the date and location of the incident, the armed group responsible, and whether the individual has been reported released, as well as relevant details about the incident.
Cases with allegations of torture or of sexual or gender-based violence are marked as such.
All data is based on reports. When conflicting information from different sources is present, all claims are included. Dates are based on the earliest reports.
The latest report was released on 1 December and stated that 11 women were reported to have been kidnapped in occupied Afrin in the month of November. One has allegedly been released, while 10 others remain missing. Armed groups claimed to be responsible for kidnappings during this month included the Military Police, Ahrar al Sharqiyah, and Ahrar al Sham.
On 2 November, Berivan Hiso was reportedly kidnapped from the village of Çobana by the Military Police, along with her husband. She was released the same day.
At least one source alleged that the family was targeted so that armed groups could seize their olive groves.
On 23 November, four women were allegedly kidnapped from Baflorê village in Jinderes: Aisha Hassou Hamid, Farida Hammu Hussein, Amina Hamid Hanan, and Shafiqa Mohammed.
The Afrin Activists Network claimed that the Military Police were responsible for the kidnapping, while the Human Rights Organization – Afrin said that Ahrar al Sharqiyah was responsible.
According to the Human Rights Organization – Afrin, the four women have been accused of dealing with the Autonomous Administration of Northern and Eastern Syrian and are being held in Jinderes on a ransom of 2,000 Turkish lira each.
Also on 23 November, Gula Nouri Rashid, Moulida Mohammed Jabo, Halima Musa Jouleh, and Asya Mohammed Jarro were kidnapped from Rajo district by Ahrar al Sham. Gula Nouri Rashid and Halima Musa Jouleh had both allegedly been kidnapped in 2018 and subsequently released on ransom.
On 26 November, Nourhamin Kilo and Josephine Sheikho Hamid were kidnapped from Anqele village in Sheikh al-Hadid district by the Military Police.
While a male relative kidnapped at the same time may have been released on ransom, according to the Human Rights Organization – Afrin, the two women are thought to have been transferred to Turkey.
