Kafr Safra
Town in Aleppo, Syria
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kafr Safra (Arabic: كفر صفرة, also spelled Kafar Safra; Kurdish: Kefersefrê)[3] is a village in northern Syria, administratively part of the Afrin District of the Aleppo Governorate, located northwest of Aleppo. Nearby localities include Shaykh al-Hadid to the north, Qarah Bash to the east and Jindires to the south. According to the Syria Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), Kafr Safra had a population of 2,150 in the 2004 census.[1] As of 2025, Kafr Safr has a population witholding Roughly 5,000 People.[4] It was taken over by the Turkish military and its proxy, the "Syrian National Army," in March 2018.[5] [6] Hayat Tahrir al-Sham briefly seized control of the town in October 2022.[7]
Demographics
In late 19th century, German orientalist Martin Hartmann noted Kafr Safra as a settlement with 10 houses inhabited by Kurds.[8]
Name
The Name of the village of Kafr Safr Is Stated to have deep linguistic meaning, The word "Safra" in the Ancient Language Aramaic means morning or bird, However the Word "Kafr" refers to a village and therefore the full meaning is the morning or the village of the bird, Ultimately reflecting its ancient ties.[4]
Notable People
Mohammed Murad Murad, from the prominent Murad Agha family in Kafr Safra, was a member of the Syrian Parliament, He had served in the years of 1977 and ran his second term in 1981. [9][10] He Later on also served as the former mayor of Kafr Safra. [11]
Economy
The economy in Kafr Safra mainly revolves around agriculture, with most residents involved in cultivating olives, grains, legumes, and pomegranates. Irrigation is sustained by artesian wells, and livestock farming provides an additional source of income for the community.[4]
Modern Era
In the summer of 2012, during the Syrian Civil War, Kafr Safra was taken by the People's Protection Units (YPG), After Assad’s regime withdrew to concentrate on the conflict in its capital, Damascus. [12] [13]
On 8 March 2018, Kafr Safra was seized by the Turkish Armed Forces and their allies the Syrian National Army from the YPG. Jindires was also captured on the same day during Operation Olive Branch.[5] [6] Hayat Tahrir al-Sham briefy Seized control of the town on October 2022 Following fierce clashes between armed factions of the SNA. [7]
During the occupation of the Turkish Armed Forces and its proxies, extensive uprooting of Olive trees occurred in the village.[14] [15]
Additionally, the uprooting of hundreds of trees occurred near the Village to make way for the construction of illegal settlements in order to rehouse Syrian Families. [16] [17] [18]
Additional Photos
