Turkish-backed Civil Police attacks journalists in Syria’s Aleppo countryside
ALEPPO, Syria (North Press) – Journalists in the city of al-Bab, east of Aleppo in northern Syria, were attacked and threatened on Monday by militants of the Turkish-backed Civil Police while covering a protest organized by the medical staff in al-Bab al-Jadeed Hospital.
A special source told North Press that the Civil Police coerced a number of reporters to stop covering the protest, and threatened to arrest them and confiscate their equipment.
This drew a state of anger and widespread condemnation in the city, amid demands to held the perpetrators of the police accountable, according to the source.
On Monday’s morning, dozens of medical staff – who work in the hospitals that operate in the Turkish-held areas of al-Bab, al-Rai and Afrin in the countryside of Aleppo – staged vigils against their Turkish-backed local administrations due to mistreatment and low salaries.
Areas held by opposition factions witness insecurity, instability and chaos due to the factions’ failure to control the situation.
A group of Turkish-backed Civil Police prevented activists and journalists in the cities of al-Bab and Afrin from covering and documenting the protest, and assaulted some activists in al-Bab, the source added.
Since 2017, the city of al-Bab has been under the control of the Turkish-backed armed opposition factions, also known as Syrian National Army (SNA).