SDC calls for lifting of Kobani siege, warns of humanitarian collapse
KOBANI, Syria (North Press) – The Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) condemned on Monday the continued siege of the city of Kobani, northern Syria, describing it as “a crime against humanity and a blatant violation of international humanitarian law.”
In a statement, the SDC held the Syrian transitional government enforcing the siege fully responsible, both legally and morally, for “every victim who falls as a result of hunger, illness, or the lack of access to medicine.”
The Council stressed its complete rejection of “the use of civilians and their livelihoods as a tool of political or military blackmail under any pretext.”
The SDC called on the Syrian transitional government to assume its sovereign and legal responsibilities toward its citizens and to immediately open all crossings to allow the entry of food, medicine, and fuel, urging an end to “any measures that contribute to the suffocation of the city.”
The statement also appealed to all Syrian national and democratic actors not to remain silent in the face of what it described as “a crime in Kobani that stains the conscience of humanity,” calling for a unified national stance rejecting the siege.
In addition, the SDC urged the U.S.-led Global Coalition against ISIS to intervene urgently to lift the siege and prevent a collapse of the humanitarian situation.
The SDC further appealed to the United Nations, the UN Security Council, and international humanitarian organizations, calling on them to dispatch immediate fact-finding missions, open urgent humanitarian corridors, and classify the situation as “crimes warranting international accountability,” rather than limiting their response to statements and declarations.