AANES official calls out global silence on Turkish attacks in NE Syria
RAQQA, Syria (North Press) – An official from the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) condemned on Monday the silence of the U.S.-led Global Coalition regarding the Turkish attacks in northern Syria and its failure to take a firm stance against the Turkish bombardment.
Since Jan. 12, Turkey has launched more than 70 strikes on northern Syria, cutting off electricity to 2,232 villages. Oil and gas facilities have been targeted with 53 Turkish strikes. Most vital service facilities, such as bakeries, mills, public clinics, water wells, water pumping stations, and clinics, have been put out of service due to power outages, said AANES official Akram Suleiman.
Hassan Kocher, Deputy Co-Chair of the Executive Council of the AANES, stated, “We defeated ISIS in partnership with the Global Coalition, but they treat us as if we haven’t fought ISIS.”
Kocher added in an interview with North Press, “The Turkish attacks would result in riots within the prisons of ISIS, for which AANES would not responsible, but rather the Global Coalition.”
He said that Turkey has attacked the region for the second time in less than a month. In the first instance, he said that they documented all attacks and sent them to all relevant parties, but they did not receive any response.
Kocher pointed out that the international silence on the Turkish bombardment is evidence that they stand in solidarity with Turkey in its attacks on the region, despite the fact that these attacks violate international law.
He described the Turkish attacks as war crimes because they target infrastructure facilities and sources of livelihood for the local population, with the aim of displacing the population of the region.
Turkey wants to bring extremists into northern and northeastern Syria, which puts humanity at risk, Kocher added.
Kocher also stated, “Turkey primarily targets civilians while simultaneously engaging in propaganda within Turkey, falsely claiming that it targets military centers. However, the operation is completely the opposite. Those who lost their lives are civilians, and the targeted facilities are service and economic centers.”
By Zana al-Ali