Turkey’s deliberate targeting of populated areas, power plants, and oil facilities in North and East Syria has been condemned by 151 Syrian human rights organisations in a joint statement issued on Sunday.
Led by Syrians for Truth and Justice (STJ), the heavy-weight coalition of organisations criticised Turkey’s hostilities in Syria, which have escalated since 5 October. “The unlawful attacks have killed and injured scores of civilians and decommissioned civilian infrastructure, inflicting harm to millions of residents in the targeted areas,” the statement read.
The organisations also warned of dire consequences to the region’s already fragile situation, home to hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs); “If these attacks persist, it is highly probable that they will cause another humanitarian catastrophe.”
The rights watchdogs urged the international community to act:
•The United Nations (UN) Security Council is called upon to protect civilians and their basic rights across Syria and to intensify international mediation efforts.
•The International Coalition and the United States are asked to halt Turkish attacks on North and East Syria, and to close airspace to drones and warplanes targeting infrastructure and civilian areas.
•UN agencies and humanitarian organisations are urged to intensify relief efforts, particularly in light of the targeting of civilian objects and critical infrastructure.
The statement concluded with a call for the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic to release a special brief on the violations accompanying the recent military attacks. The signatories include a wide range of organisations, from human rights groups to development associations, all united in their call for an immediate cessation of aggressions on civilians and critical infrastructure.