SYRIA  GRAVE ROBBERS

Searching for antiques | “National Army” factions continue excavating two archaeological sites in Afrin

On Mar 31, 2022

Aleppo province: SOHR activists have reported that factions of the “National Army” continue excavating and searching for antiques in Beir Al-Athary hill, which is located southern to Shirkan village in Al-Ma’batly district, where the hill was subjected to sabotage by heavy machineries affecting most of the hill’s low side and its surroundings in search for buried treasures.

Moreover, the archaeological Juwaik hill was subjected to excavations by heavy machineries destroying its archaeological layers, in addition to the uprooting of dozens of nearby fruitful olive trees, where the excavations affected nearly (7000) square meters on the Acropolis and the extension to the vicinity of the high hill.

On March 20, SOHR activists reported that Turkish-backed factions continued excavating and bulldozing Tarnada hill for four years, since they controlled Afrin.
The archaeological hill is located near Afrin river south eastern of Afrin, and is registered under the Syrian Antiquities Directorate.
It is worth noting that the hill was subjected to systematic bulldozing by bulldozers and heavy machines, before the eyes of Turkish forces deployed near the hill.
Moreover, the bulldozing operations affected the base of the hill and caused destruction of archaeological layers, in search for treasures and buried archaeological findings.
This came as a part of the series of violations by Turkish-backed factions in “Olive Branch” area in Afrin.