QAMISHLI, Syria — Factions of the National Army of the Syrian opposition entered the Kurdish town of p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px 'Noto Sans'; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} Serekaniye — the Kurdish name for Ras al-Ain. Troops supported by Turkey also entered the city the same day as part of Turkey’s Operation Peace Spring. 

On Nov. 8, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the pro-Turkish factions are confiscating houses, agricultural lands, tractors and diesel tanker trucks.

Muhammad Ali Aba Nowruz, 67, told Al-Monitor that he went back to visit the city on Nov. 23. He said, “It is not only about the looted properties. It is about the fact that they chose this peaceful city. It is not easy for a person to be kept from a place they have a life of sweet and bitter memories in.” 

Aba Nowruz paused to light a cigarette, trying to pull himself together as he talked about the misery he saw there. “The checkpoint set up by the autonomous administration slowed our arrival to the city. Officers at the checkpoint said that entering the city was forbidden. But I managed to get in. We had to pass through seven checkpoints set up by gunmen affiliated with the Syrian opposition. At one of these checkpoints, we were asked if there were any Kurdish people on the bus, and they interrogated the Kurds on the bus before we were allowed to pass.”