An investigation by journalists from Daraj and SIRAJ has identified 37 Turkish military bases and observation posts across rural areas of Aleppo, Idlib, Hama and Latakia. These installations were built on former military sites, agricultural land, civilian homes, schools and, in several cases, state‑owned property.
Investigation by: Maher Mounir (Daraj), Ahmad Abdullah and Maryam Bitar (SIRAJ)
When factions of the Turkey‑backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) seized the village of Kaljibrin in northern Aleppo and expelled Islamic State (ISIS) fighters during Operation Euphrates Shield in late 2016 and early 2017, residents initially welcomed the operation. It ended ISIS rule and restored a semblance of security.
For the family of Abdullah Sheikho, however, the aftermath brought a different kind of loss. After entering the village, Turkish forces selected his farmland as the site of a new military base. Construction destroyed nearly one thousand pistachio and almond trees that he had spent decades cultivating. He received no compensation.
Kaljibrin had been contested repeatedly throughout the war. It was first held by the Syrian regime, then captured by the Free Syrian Army, seized by ISIS and finally retaken by opposition factions during Operation Euphrates Shield. Those factions later became part of the Syrian National Army.
Faraj Sheikho, Abdullah’s son, recalls his father’s attempts to prevent the seizure of the land. “My father told them that the land was agricultural, uneven and unsuitable for a military position. Despite this, they decided to establish themselves there and used the uneven terrain as a pretext to bulldoze it.”
The land belonging to Faraj and Dirar Sheikho, shown on a map. Private photograph.
Faraj says Turkish forces initially assured his father that the trees would remain untouched. Once the bulldozers arrived, however, the trees began to fall. When the family protested, soldiers told them that only a limited number would be removed.
“When we tried to stop them, they pointed their weapons at us,” Faraj says. “The bulldozing continued until around eighty per cent of the land had been cleared. The military position itself occupied only a small part of the property, but they cut down the surrounding trees to give themselves a clear view of the area.”
The affected land covers six hectares, three of which belong to the Sheikho family. The base itself occupies one hectare. Trees on the remaining two hectares were uprooted and mines laid “to prevent Kurdish units from infiltrating the area,” according to Faraj’s brother, Dirar. He says he personally defused several mines and threw them into a trench dug around the base.
Satellite imagery confirms that the land remained covered with trees until December 2016. Construction of the base began in early 2017 and continued for several months.
The Sheikho family’s land, shown in satellite imagery. Coordinates: 36.523336, 37.127240.
The Sheikho family’s case is not unique. This investigation documented 37 Turkish military installations built on agricultural land, former military sites, private homes, schools and state property. In many instances, landowners received no compensation despite repeated promises.
Among them was Abdullah Sheikho, who, according to his son Faraj, “died of grief over the loss of his land and his only source of livelihood.” Faraj estimates that approximately 960 trees were destroyed, including 860 mature pistachio trees more than forty years old and another 100 almond trees.
Faraj and Dirar Sheikho’s land after it was bulldozed. Private photograph.
The same base affected seven other landowners in the area, although most of their plots were uncultivated.
Sheikho submitted written appeals to Syria’s ministries of agriculture, foreign affairs and defence, seeking compensation. None of his efforts succeeded.
Syrian judge and legal researcher Riyad al‑Ali says that pursuing legal action is theoretically possible, although practically unfeasible. In a detailed legal assessment provided to the investigation team, he recommends that Syrian authorities engage directly with their Turkish counterparts, with experts present to assess the damage and determine compensation.
In its response to the investigation, the National Commission for Transitional Justice stated that it handles testimonies and complaints submitted by victims in accordance with its procedures, documenting incidents and seeking to verify the facts.
Letters and memoranda submitted by Sheikho to the ministries of foreign affairs, defence and agriculture requesting compensation. SIRAJ.
Although the Turkish army has evacuated some observation posts, both before and after the fall of the Assad regime, compensation has remained elusive, as this investigation shows.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
