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Turkish-backed militants loot shops after seizing control of Afrin on March 18, 2018. (Photo by AFP)
A family feud has led to new round of infighting among Turkish-backed militants in the occupied area of Afrin in northern Aleppo.
The heavy clashes, which erupted on March 25 morning, took place in the district of al-Ashrafiyah in the city center of Afrin.
The Step News Agency, a pro-opposition outlet, said the clashes were the result of a dispute among members of the Osu family, who fight in the ranks of the 51st Division. The group is a part of the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA).
“The fighting was limited to members of the Osu family … It was a result of a family dispute among them that developed into clashes with heavy weapons, which led to the intervention of the al-Shamiya Front that attempted to stop the clashes,” the agency’s reporter said.
A militant identified as Ahmad Zakariya Helal was killed as result of the clashes. Many other militants were reportedly injured.
Such incidents became very common in the Turkish-occupied parts of northern Syria, especially in Afrin. Many Turkish-backed militants were killed as a result of infighting over the last few years.
The Turkish military is doing nothing to prevent internal conflicts in Afrin and other areas under its occupation. This is leading to a state of lawlessness in these areas.
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