Four civilians arrested in Serekaniye, transferred to Turkey

A displaced family from the city of Serekaniye reported that members of the “Military Police” factions present in the city detained their son, Juma Ahmed al-Azzo, along with three others in the countryside of Serekaniye while they were visiting the area.

The family added that Juma al-Azzo is originally from the village of al-Manajir, south of the city, and that he was heading to Serekaniye (Ras al-Ain) accompanied by Mahmoud Hobo and his son Walat, both residents of the city of Tel Tamr, as well as Ahmed Qassem al-Awad, a resident of the Serekaniye area.

According to the family, the arrest took place near the village of al-Aliya. When they attempted to inquire about the detainees’ fate, they discovered that the “Military Police” had handed them over to Turkish intelligence, after which they were transferred into Turkish territory.

The family confirmed that the fate of the detainees remains unknown, in the absence of any official information or communication with them, raising serious concerns about their safety and conditions of detention.

The transfer of Syrian civilians outside their country without clear legal procedures or judicial guarantees constitutes a clear violation of international laws and norms, particularly the Geneva Conventions, which prohibit the forced transfer of individuals from occupied territories to another state, as well as international human rights law, which guarantees the right to liberty, security, and protection from arbitrary detention or enforced disappearance.

In recent periods, some displaced residents have returned individually to the city of Serekaniye, only to find their villages and homes destroyed and looted, according to local sources, by Turkish-backed armed groups.

Residents of Serekaniye (Ras al-Ain) hope to secure a safe and stable return to their areas without facing arrest or extortion, in accordance with the agreement signed on January 29 of this year, which is supposed to guarantee the protection of civilians and safeguard their fundamental rights, foremost among them the right to movement and safe return to their original homes.

A-H

ANHA