While the decision by the United States Treasury Department to impose sanctions on certain leaders of Turkish-backed mercenary factions in Syria is a positive step toward justice, they fall short of fully addressing the plight of the people of the Afrin (Efrîn) region and the dire humanitarian situation they are facing, said Bedran Çiya Kurd in a written statement on Saturday.
Çiya Kurd, the co-chair of the Foreign Relations Department of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), said that they have welcomed the US sanctions on two Turkish-backed armed factions and their leaders, announced on Thursday, in response to severe human rights abuses against Kurdish residents in the region.
However, he pointed out that the sanctions only target a limited number of individuals, leaving numerous others who have been implicated in what he called terrorist activities, war crimes, and human rights abuses untouched.
The AANES official argued that bringing all involved criminals before the International Criminal Court was imperative, given the gravity of their actions.
Çiya Kurd further expressed concern over the potential for further conflict and retaliation among the people of Afrin if justice was not achieved for the victims. He went on to highlight the urgency of establishing an international commission of inquiry to investigate the regions under Turkey’s control, specifically Afrin, where allegations of widespread human rights abuses and crimes against humanity have been rampant.
In the statement it was underscored that justice and security for civilians, along with the removal of extremist groups, were inextricably linked to ending the Turkish control over the region and facilitating the safe return of forcibly displaced individuals to their homes.
Turkish-controlled Afrin
Throughout the first years of the Syrian civil war, Afrin remained a relatively peaceful enclave controlled by Kurdish forces. However, since Turkey’s takeover in 2018, the region has come to be dominated by various armed factions affiliated with Turkish forces. These groups that continue to fight among themselves employ violent tactics to exert control over the movement of people and goods within their respective territories.
The two Syrian mercenary factions sanctioned by the United States, the Suleiman Shah Brigade and the Hamza Division, hold significant influence over the Kurdish population in Afrin. The Suleiman Shah Brigade faces allegations of civilian abduction and extortion, as per the US Treasury Department.
Similarly, the Hamza Division is accused of abduction, theft, and torture. This group runs detention facilities where captives are subjected to prolonged captivity, including ransom demands and instances of sexual abuse. Both entities are affiliated with the Turkey-backed Syrian National Army (SNA), an Islamist coalition of armed opposition groups. The SNA’s violations against local ethnic and religious groups like Kurds and Yazidis are well-documented by the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria and the US State Department.
