Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) has issued a strong condemnation of the Turkish military’s recent operations in North and East Syria, highlighting attacks on vital civilian infrastructure. This series of attacks marks the third such incident within a year, targeting essential services and economic assets in a region inhabited by nearly 5 million Syrians.
Detailing the scope of the aggression, the SDC statement identified significant damage to power stations, oil fields, hospitals and among other facilities. Additionally, a cultural printing press was destroyed, resulting in multiple civilian deaths, including its director and staff.
The SDC’s statement vehemently criticised these actions, stating, “the aggression of the Turkish army and its threat to security and stability, and the terrorising of safe citizens and fighting them for their livelihood under the pretext of protecting Turkey’s national security,” is unacceptable. The Council also condemned Turkey’s policies of displacement of Kurdish inhabitants and demographic change in areas under Turkish control like Afrin (Efrin), Ras al-Ayn (Serêkaniyê), and Tell Abyad (Girê Spî).
Furthermore, the SDC appealed to the international community, specifically the United Nations, to “condemn this aggression, hold Turkey accountable, put an end to its interventions that violate international norms and laws, and exert maximum pressure to respect Syria’s sovereignty and adhere to the rules of good neighbourliness.” The Council also called upon the United States and the Russian Federation to enforce international law and humanitarian standards.
The SDC’s statement concluded with a call for Syrian unity against these attacks, which it characterised as “war crimes against humanity.” The Council underscored the necessity of a unified stance among all Syrian forces to confront these challenges.