The residents of al-Bab, in the eastern Aleppo countryside have accused leaders of the “military police” of failing to protect civilians and to put an end to the assassinations and rampant security chaos, said the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Media activist Muhammad Abdullatif, also known as Abu Ghannoum, and his wife were shot dead on Friday by unknown gunmen at the “Furn” roundabout.

On Saturday, al-Bab witnessed a general strike organized by activists in protest against his killing.

Frustration and resentment have grown among the people after three murders took place in the area in under a week.

The protesters have demanded better security measures from local authorities and Türkiye and an end to the instability caused by poor gun control. They also insisted on exposing and punishing criminals.

Besides Abu Ghannoum and his wife, a 50-year-old male civilian was killed in Afrin. Hours after Abu Ghannoum’s death, unidentified gunmen also shot dead a former opposition leader at his residence in the city of Mareh in northern Aleppo.

These murders, coupled with daily incidents of theft, have proved the extent to which security chaos is ravaging areas under Turkish influence in northern and northwestern Aleppo.

Mohsen al-Shihabi, an activist in the Aleppo countryside, confirmed that al-Bab and other cities and areas in northern Aleppo are witnessing a state of upheaval and angry popular protests.