Ilham Ahmed, co-chair of the Foreign Relations Department of the Kurdish-led Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), has expressed deep concerns over the global neglect of the Kurdish region in Syria amid ongoing Turkish military operations targeting civilian infrastructures. These attacks, according to a recent UN report, may constitute war crimes.
“Attacks on civilians have never been ignored to such an extent by the mainstream media. They are totally ignoring what is happening in North and East Syria,” Ahmed stated, speaking to Penny Papadopoulou of the Orthodox News Agency on 27 April.
She outlined the grave impact of Turkish airstrikes, including severe disruptions to power and water supplies for millions. “Turkey is targeting civilian infrastructure aimed at forcing the local population to flee, expelling the Kurds from these areas and creating a Sunni Arab-majority zone, 30 kilometres deep, along the Syrian border,” she added, emphasising the strategic intent behind these attacks.
The UN Commission of Inquiry’s recent findings underscored the severity of the situation, declaring these strikes as violations of international humanitarian law and potentially amounting to war crimes.
“The strikes have severely disrupted power for over 3 million people and water supply for 1.5 million in the region, while there are nearly 80,000 children out of school due to damage to school buildings. Turkey also struck grain storage facilities in the area that supply grains to local bakeries,” Ahmed highlighted, adding, “The attacks have affected many other institutions across North and East Syria that look after the safety and security of the community. We are deeply worried about losing the ability to protect our community from threats.”
Ahmed argued for accountability and urged international action against Turkey for its actions, pointing out the broader implications of selective moralism in global conflict responses. “We believe that Turkey, Hakan Fidan and others should be taken to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for the crimes they have committed and continue to commit against the Kurds in our region and in Turkey,” she explained.
Ahmed contrasted the subdued international reaction to Turkey’s operations in Syria with the more vigorous responses to other international crises, calling for a fair and unbiased global stance towards the atrocities committed against her people.
