HRW bears Turkey responsible for abuses in occupied north Syria
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a report published on Thursday that Turkey bears responsibility for the serious abuses and potential war crimes carried out by its forces and affiliated armed opposition factions in areas under its occupation in northern Syria.
Adam Coogle, deputy Middle East director at HRW said, “Ongoing abuses including torture and enforced disappearances of those who live under Turkish authority in northern Syria will continue unless Türkiye itself takes responsibility and acts to stop them.”
“Turkey’s occupation of parts of northern Syria has facilitated a lawless climate of abuse and impunity – it’s the furthest possible thing from a ‘safe zone,’” Coogle said.
Turkey, along with its affiliated armed opposition factions, who later became known as the Syrian National Army (SNA), has carried out three cross-border military operations in northern Syria since 2016.
The first operation dubbed, Euphrates Shield, resulted in the occupation of the cities of Azaz, al-Bab, and Jarablus in the north of Aleppo.
In its second operation, Olive Branch, Turkey occupied the Kurdish-majority Afrin Region in the northwest of Aleppo in 2018.
In its third operation, Peace Spring, Turkey occupied the border strip stretching between the cities of Tel Abyad and Sere Kaniye (Ras al-Ain) in northeast Syria in 2019.
These operations resulted in large-scale displacement and violations and abuses of human rights and international law, according to the organization.
HRW found that Turkish Forces and intelligence agencies were complicit and involved or oversaw these abuses.
“Turkish officials are not merely bystanders to abuses, but bear responsibility as the occupying power and, in some cases, have been directly involved in apparent war crimes,” Coogle said.
The report, titled, “Everything is by the Power of the Weapon: Abuses and Impunity in Turkish-Occupied Northern Syria,” documents that the Turkish-backed SNA factions, and the Military Police established by Turkey carried out abductions, arbitrary arrests, unlawful detention, sexual violence, and torture.
HRW pointed out that Kurdish residents overwhelmingly “have borne the brunt of the abuses due to their perceived ties to Kurdish-led forces that control vast swathes of northeast Syria,” in an indication to the Syrian Democratic forces (SDF).
The report documented “violations of housing, land, and property rights, including widespread looting and pillaging as well as property seizures and extortion, and the failure of attempted accountability measures to curb abuses or to provide restitution to victims.”