Call for immediate international action to alleviate humanitarian crisis in NE Syria

According to the Health Authority of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), Turkish bombardments in the first month of 2025 alone resulted in 41 civilian deaths and 255 injuries, including seven journalists and six medical personnel. These figures raise serious concerns about Turkey’s adherence to international laws that mandate the protection of civilians in armed conflicts.

 Key incidents recorded since January 8, 2025, highlight the scale of destruction:

 Tishreen Dam Region: 24 civilians martyred, 221 wounded due to airstrikes.

 Sirrin City: 12 civilians, including two children, martyred by Turkish attacks.

 Kobani: Drone strikes martyred two civilians and injured another.

 Ashma Village (Kobani, February 2, 2025): Turkish shelling injured 10 civilians, including women and children.

 Zarghan and its Countryside: Three civilians, including a child, martyred; 10 others wounded.

 Targeting Civilian Infrastructure: A War Crime

 Beyond civilian casualties, Turkey has deliberately targeted vital infrastructure, intensifying the humanitarian impact of its aggression. The Tishreen Dam—attacked over 15 times in January alone—remains at risk of catastrophic failure. The deliberate targeting of such facilities, protected under international law, threatens to:

 *Exacerbate flooding risks, endangering thousands of lives.

 *Disrupt water and electricity supplies, worsening humanitarian conditions.

 *Undermine regional stability, creating further displacement and suffering.

 Turkey’s military campaign violates fundamental principles of international humanitarian law, including:

 1. Protection of Civilians

 Fourth Geneva Convention (1949): Prohibits attacks on civilians and mandates their protection.

 Additional Protocol I (1977): Requires warring parties to distinguish between combatants and civilians, protecting civilian infrastructure.

 2. Human Rights Violations

 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR): Outlaws indiscriminate attacks on civilian populations.

 International Refugee Law: Obliges all parties to provide humanitarian protection.

 3. Protection of Journalists & Medical Personnel

 UN Security Council Resolution 2222: Ensures special protection for journalists and medical workers in conflict zones,

the systematic targeting of civilians, journalists, and medical personnel, alongside the destruction of critical infrastructure, necessitates immediate intervention by the international community.

a.k

ANHA