Commender of war criminal organization in Syria graduates from university in Turkey

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It was revealed that Abu Hatem Shaqra, one of the commanders of Ahrar al-Sharqiya, known for many rights violations, and condemned by the international society for committing “war crimes,” has studied and now graduated from the Mardin Artuklu University in Turkey. 

Abu Hatem Shaqra graduated from the Political Sciences and International Relations Department 

In the graduation ceremony held at the university on June 6, Abu Hatem Shaqra wore a robing on which Ahmad Ihsan Fayyad Al-Hayes’s name was written in Arabic letters. 

Abu Hatem Shaqra also unfurled a flag of the Syrian National Army (the Free Syrian Army as it was called previously) together with a large group of people. 

Ahrar al-Sharqiya is charged with the assassination of many civilians in Syria, and most importantly Kurdish politician Hevrin Xelef, the general secretary of the Syria Future Party. 

The organization is on the sanction list of the US and Abu Hatem Shaqra is one of the individuals who are on the sanction list. 

The office of the United Nations high commissioner for human rights announced in the same period that the organization has committed “war crimes.”

*Abu Hatem Shaqra in the SNC meetings. Photo: etilaf.org

Shaqra was seen participating in the meeting of the Turkey-backed National Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces (commonly known as SNC) on November 23, 2020. 

*Photo: Twitter

In February 2019 Ahrar al-Sharqiya’s Twitter account posted a photograph showing Abu Hatem receiving an award from the Turkey-backed local security forces in Raco, Afrin. 

*Hevrîn Xelef, Photo: Twitter

Ahrar al-Sharqiya, founded in the beginning of 2016 by a unit linked to the Ahrar al-Sham was discussed in relation to the killing of the Kurdish politician, Syria Future Party General Secretary on October 12, 2019, on the Qamilshli international autobahn. 

BBC Arabic’s research called “The murder of a Syrian Pacifist” revealed that there was convincing evidence that Hevrin Halef was killed during “Operation Peace Spring,” a military operation by the Turkish army by a fraction of the “Syrian National Army.” However, Ahrar al-Sharqiya rejects responsibility for the killing of Xelef. 

*Fotograf: basnews

A report by the New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) released in July 2018, states that some organizations, including members of Ahrar al-Sharqiya, are responsible for plundering people’s properties. 

Amnesty International, on the other hand, stated that the same organization is kidnapping people who cannot be found later on, making arbitrary arrests and looting. 

*Abu Hatem Shaqra with two Kurdish people he took hostage. Photo: Social media

Another allegation for Ahrar al-Sharqiya is that the group has built a large prison outside Aleppo where hundreds of people have been executed so far. The group which also holds some at a ransom targeting prominent businesspeople and opposition figures in Idlib and Aleppo is reported to have recruited ex-ISIS members. (FD/PE)