Shafaq News- Damascus

A group of Kurdish sculptors is creating three statues to highlight Kurdish history and culture for younger generations, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on Sunday.

The project includes two statues of fighters, each about three meters tall and weighing nearly two tons, and a life-size replica of the Ain Dara lion weighing an estimated 12 tons.

The artists said the project seeks to preserve Kurdish cultural heritage by recreating historical symbols, particularly the Ain Dara lion, one of the best-known archaeological artifacts associated with the ancient site in Afrin, northern Aleppo province.

They also described the project as a response to “attacks on Kurdish archaeological sites and history in the area,” and said the Ain Dara lion was “stolen” after Turkish forces took control of Afrin in 2018.

By recreating symbols they said had been destroyed or looted, the sculptors aim to preserve them in public memory and introduce younger generations to the region’s history amid continuing debate over the fate of archaeological sites and artifacts in Afrin.

#المرصد_السوريفنانون أكراد ينحتون تماثيل لتخليد رموز من التاريخ الكرديhttps://t.co/qZQmyU0SCr

— المرصد السوري لحقوق الإنسان (@syriahr) September 6, 2026