Skip to main content

Why is opposition arresting Kurds in northeast Syria?

A Kurdish civilian was tortured and killed after he was kidnapped by an armed opposition faction in north Syria, days after the United Nations condemned the detention of civilians in Syria.
Qamishli protest of Turkey's Afrin takeover

The Sham Legion, affiliated with the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA), and military police recently kidnapped three civilians, including a 70-year-old man, in the northern Syrian city of Afrin. 

The kidnapping came only days following a March 1 UN report entitled "A decade of arbitrary detention and imprisonment," which called for an end of kidnappings and crimes committed by armed groups in Syria, including the Islamic State and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.

Access the Middle East news and analysis you can trust

Join our community of Middle East readers to experience all of Al-Monitor, including 24/7 news, analyses, memos, reports and newsletters.

Subscribe

Only $100 per year.