Syrian Kurds have called for an investigatation into Turkey’s “massacres and violations” in North and East Syria, as reported by North Press Agency on Thursday.
This call by the Foreign Relations Department of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) follows Turkey’s “blatant aggression” that has severely disrupted vital infrastructure, including healthcare and water facilities, since 5 October.
“International silence on Turkish violations is a direct encouragement for (Turkish President Recep Tayyip) Erdoğan against the northeastern regions of Syria and its inhabitants,” the department emphasised.
Khaled Dawoud, co-chair of the health board affiliated with the AANES, warned earlier that hospitals are at risk of closure due to these attacks. “Our main reliance is now on generators, but the material damage is extensive,” he said. Dawoud labelled the targeted attacks on service centres, particularly hospitals, as “war crimes against humanity”.
Residents of Qamishli (Qamişlo) also face acute water shortages due to the Turkish military’s actions. “For a week, we have been experiencing water shortages in the city following the Turkish attacks,” said Ali Abdullah, a 65-year-old resident. The situation has forced many to revert to drawing water from wells, a practice common 50 years ago.
Turkey’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hakan Fidan, had earlier declared all infrastructure in Iraq and Syria as “legitimate targets” for Turkish security forces. This declaration followed a bomb attack in Ankara on 1 October, which injured two police officers. Fidan claimed the assailants had been trained in Syria. The Commander-in-Chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Mazloum Abdi, has refuted the allegations made by Fidan.
