SDF Reveals total toll of Turkish offensive on northeast Syria in 2021
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – On Thursday, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) revealed in a statement the total toll of the Turkish assaults in 2021 and its consequences on the civilians in north and northeast Syria.
The Turkish forces and their affiliated Syrian armed opposition forces launched 47 ground offensive and attempts of invasion against areas of north and northeast Syria.
The Turkish forces launched 1,300 attacks with heavy weapons including 7,000 artillery, mortar and tanks’ shells on the area.
The area was targeted with 89 attacks by Turkish drones.
The Turkish forces bombarded three towns; Ain Isa, Tel Tamr and Zargan in addition to 58 villages. The cities of Qamishli, Kobani and Jil Agha were also targeted.
Several civilians were snipped by 52 incidents in the villages adjacent to the Turkish border.
89 civilians lost lives due to the Turkish offensive, while the Turkish-backed factions carried out a field execution operation against a civilian in a village west of Ain Issa, while 134 civilians were wounded.
The SDF also recorded more than 700 kidnappings of civilians in Afrin, Tel Abyad and Sere Kaniye.
The statement pointed out that the Turkish forces committed violations that affected even cemeteries as they bulldozed cemeteries in the villages of Afrin, Sere Kaniye and Tel Abyad, in addition to destroying mosques, schools, public facilities and service institutions during the bombardment, in addition to storming 22 archaeological sites with the intention of theft.
The statement revealed that the Turkish aggression and operations launched to pursue the Islamic State Organization (ISIS) sleeper cells in 2021 claimed lives of 148 leaders and fighters.
The SDF Media Office indicated that the Turkish crimes against residents of Syria’s northeast go beyond military ambitions and aim to displace residents paving the way for demographic change and annexing Syrian lands.
The Turkish practices amount to war crimes that cannot be justified, and no global or regional party can provide legal or political cover for Turkey’s occupation of vast swaths of Syria, according to the statement.
The SDF called on the international parties and the guarantor countries to implement their obligations and stop Turkey from going ahead in committing crimes in addition to pressure it to leave the Syrian territory.
It also called on international and human rights organizations to form a neutral international commission to investigate crimes committed by the Turkish army and the Turkish-backed armed factions and prosecute the perpetrators.
Meanwhile, the SDF renewed their compliance with the national values, the right of legitimate defense, protect civilians in its areas, secure safety and stability for residents against the Turkish attacks, ISIS sleeper cells and other parties that it did not mention.