Intellectuals: Turkish occupation's targeting of journalists: Its goal is to silence voice of truth

The Turkish occupation state continues to launch attacks on the region of North and East Syria. On December 19th of this year, the occupation drones targeted the vehicle carrying our comrades Jihan Belkin and Nazim Dashtan while they were performing their journalistic duties in covering the crimes of the Turkish occupation and its mercenaries at the Tishrin Dam. This occurred on the road connecting the Tishrin Dam and the town of Sareen, resulting in their martyrdom and injuring the vehicle's driver. 

In this context, intellectuals in the city of al-Shaddadi in Jazira region condemned the Turkish occupation's targeting of journalists. The intellectual and administrator at the Martyrs' Families Foundation in the city, Iman Al-Faraj, said: "We strongly condemn the Turkish occupation's targeting of the regions of North and East Syria, especially the targeting of journalists who documented the truth and conveyed the crimes of the Turkish occupation through their lenses." 

She confirmed that the Turkish occupation's attacks target all citizens in the region, and their goal is to break the will of the free peoples. 

She added: "We call on international organizations to hold Turkish fascism accountable for these crimes, and we condemn the silence of the international community regarding these criminal acts." 

For his part, the intellectual and member of the Democratic Union Party in the town of Markada, Samer al-Ziyadat, said: "We condemn the crime committed by the Turkish occupation authorities by targeting journalists, with the aim of silencing the voice of truth." These journalists worked sincerely to convey the true picture from the areas that were subjected to Turkish bombardment. 

He pointed out that "this is not the first time journalists have been targeted; such attacks have occurred many times." 

He called on all international and human rights organizations to take serious action and follow up on this issue, and to hold the Turkish occupying state accountable for its crimes against journalists who carry out a clear humanitarian mission to convey the truth to the people. 

The intellectuals in al-Shaddadi affirmed that targeting journalists is a blatant violation of all humanitarian values and international laws, and reflects the Turkish occupation's attempt to suppress the truth. They called on international powers to take firm stances to protect press freedom and ensure accountability for the perpetrators of crimes. 

The attacks by the Turkish occupation state and ISIS mercenaries on the region of North and East Syria, since the beginning of the revolution, have resulted in the martyrdom of 30 journalists, both male and female, while they were covering the situation and conveying the truth to the global public opinion. Among them were 6 of our agency's correspondents: Delishan Ibish, Jihan Belkin, Issam Abdullah, Saad Ahmed, Rizgar Adanmesh, and Hoger Mohammed.

T/ Satt.

ANHA