Seizing civilian properties by Turkey and the armed groups is a war crime – Human rights activist

Hasakah – North-Press Agency
Abdelhalim Suleiman – Jindar Abdulqadir

Within the demographic change strategy on northern and eastern of Syria and changing its identity, Turkey intends to use various means to bring about demographic change in the region, by seizing the properties and houses of the indigenous people, bringing in families of their backed armed groups and settling them in, as well as practicing restrictions on the people to force them to leave their homes.

Since the start of its military invasion, Turkey has been working on implementing plans to build new cities, towns, and villages in northeastern Syria, as it wants to resettle about half of the 3,6 million refugees (not only Syrians) it hosts on its ground, after expelling the region’s indigenous population.

The Turkish military invasion caused the displacement of more than 350 thousand people from their homes in north-eastern Syria, while their properties and houses were either taken over by the Turkish-backed armed groups or housed by the families of those armed groups members, who were brought in by Turkey from other Syrian regions and from Turkish territories, with the aim of resettling them in the areas under the Turkish occupation of Sere-Kaniye (Ras al-Ain) and Tal Abyad (Gre-Spi).

In this context, the member of Human Rights Organization in al-Jazira region and a member of the Turkish Operation Violations Initiative, Luqman Ibrahim, told North-Press that seizing civilian houses and properties of the indigenous people by the Turkish military and its affiliated armed groups is considered to as a war-crime, punishable by the international laws, and the perpetrators are referred to the International Criminal Court, according to the law and principles of Rome.

Luqman Ibrahim pointed out in his interview with North-Press that, “property owners who have been violated can obtain compensation in accordance with the international law,” explaining that “their properties were taken from them by force, and the international law does not allow any occupant to seize and legalize citizens’ properties,” he stated. He described the Turkish military invasion in the Syrian territories as "aggression and occupation", pointing out that the Turkish violations constitute a "crime of aggression" against the Syrian sovereignty.

The member of Human Rights Organization in al-Jazira region affirmed that the Syrian government can file a lawsuit against Turkey regarding its violations of the International Criminal Court, expressing regret over the Syrian government's reluctance to resort to the international justice in this regard, adding, “The Syrian government has not acted as yet regarding the international violations towards its sovereignty.”