Turkish-occupied Syrian areas riddled with crime – NGO
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Syrian areas occupied by Turkey and its affiliated factions are riddled with crimes, as 33 cases of intra-factional violence among the factions were recorded in 2022, killing two civilians and injuring 20 others, an NGO said on Sunday.
Hevdesti/Synergy Association said, in a report, a Turkish woman was injured in Ceylanpinar district, southern Turkey, by a stray bullet of fighting between militias of Turkish-backed armed opposition factions, also known as Syrian National Army (SNA), in Sere Kaniye (Ras al-Ain), northern Syria.
Hevdesti/Synergy is a non-profit organization comprised of journalists, human rights activists, and researchers from Sere Kaniye and Tel Abyad who aim to document the violations committed in the two cities by Syrian armed opposition factions.
Additionally four SNA fighters and two civilians were assassinated. Four more SNA fighters were injured in attempted killings.
Moreover, in one case, militants of Hamza Division, an SNA faction, opened direct fire on a crowd, injuring a boy. Hevdesti said that Hamza Division was the most violent group in 2022.
Turkish forces occupied the area in 2019 in order to erect a so-called “security zone”. The invasion displaced over 180.000 people and killed dozens. Since then, Sere Kaniye and Tel Abyad have been plagued by waves of violence.
Most of fights were results of “disputes over power, drug dealing, and human trafficking between Syria and Turkey,” the organization added, “all the intra-factional fighting … broke out in populated areas, such as markets, residential neighbourhoods and villages.”
Attempts by Turkish authorities and the Turkish-backed Syrian Interim Government to curb violence have failed, as a circular was issued in April prohibiting the carrying of arms, however, it has had no effect.
Turkish authorities have turned a blind eye to the fighting, which at times has taken place mere meters from their bases in Sere Kaniye, Hevdesti said.
Turkey is neglecting its obligations as an occupation power under Article 43 of the 1907 Hague Regulations, Hevdesti argued, it is also a flagrant violation of the 2019 US-Turkish treaty which cemented Turkish presence in this part of Syria. Under the treaty, “Turkey voiced commitment to ensure safety and well-being of residents of all population centers in the safe area controlled by the Turkish forces”.