Initially many emigrated from Afrin due to declining economic conditions, as well as the threat of sectarian violence. Thus epitomised by the genocide of their co-practitioners in Sinjar at the hands of the Islamic State.





Others soon followed, taking flight from Turkey's invasion of the area in 2018. Now this largely depopulated area is the frequent site of clashes and mutual shelling between the Turkish military, their Syrian proxies in the west, and the SDF, as well as the likely front group the Afrin Liberation Forces (Hêzên Rizgariya Efrînê—HRE) to the east.







When Turkish operations in Afrin ceased in late March 2018, only a handful of villages belonging to the region remained under SDF control. From this last foothold, insurgents affiliated with the Kurdish YPG militia (as well as other recently created militant groups) began launching infiltration attempts and attacks targeting Turkish soldiers and allied Syrian opposition militants.





Initially, insurgent activity occurred at a frequent rate across the entirety of Afrin. This was almost all likely carried out by cells left behind in the wake of Operation Olive Branch. However, by the end of 2018 ambushes and clashes increasingly took place along the rocky frontline of Jebel Laylun. This general shift eastward coincided with the creation of the HRE, who have since become the pre-eminent insurgent outfit in Afrin.





While HRE continue to carry out sporadic attacks deep within their enemy territory, their actions typically originate from the Shahba region and include raids on makeshift frontline positions, sniping, and the launching of anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) at an array of targets.