2020. 09. 23.

UN rights chief calls for Turkey to probe violations in northern Syria | | UN News

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UN rights chief calls for Turkey to probe violations in

northern Syria

© UNICEF/Khalil Ashawi Syrian families sought safety in Afrin in January 2020, in north rural Aleppo governorate,
after fleeing conflict in Idlib.

18 September 2020 Human Rights (/en/news/topic/human-rights)

The UN High Commissioner

(https://www.ohchr.org/EN/AboutUs/Pages/HighCommissioner.aspx) for Human
Rights has urged Turkey to launch an immediate independent investigation into
violations and abuses committed in parts of north, northwest and northeast Syria,
which are under the control of its forces and af liated armed groups. 

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2020. 09. 23. UN rights chief calls for Turkey to probe violations in northern Syria | | UN News

Michelle Bachelet warned that the human rights situation in places such as Afrin, Ras al-Ain and Tel
Abyad, is grim, with violence and criminality rife.   

UN Human Rights
@UNHumanRights

#Syria: @UNHumanRights Chief @mbachelet calls on

#Turkey to respect intl law & halt violations committed by
armed groups under Turkey’s control, including killings,
kidnappings, unlawful transfers, seizures of land & properties
& forcible evictions ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/…

12:56 PM · Sep 18, 2020

503 430 people are Tweeting about this

An alarming pattern of grave violations has been documented in these areas in recent months, such
as increased killings, kidnappings, and unlawful transfers of people, as well as seizures of land and
properties, her Of ce, OHCHR (http://www.ohchr.org/EN/pages/home.aspx) , has reported. 

Victims include those perceived to be allied with opposing parties, or critical of Turkish-af liated
armed groups, or rich enough to pay ransoms.  

“People living in these areas whose rights have been violated are entitled to protection and a
remedy. In this regard, I urge Turkey to immediately launch an impartial, transparent and
independent investigation into the incidents we have veri ed, account for the fate of those
detained and abducted by the af liated armed groups, and hold accountable those responsible for
what may, in some instances, amount to crimes under international law, including war crimes”, said
(https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=26258&LangID=E)
Ms. Bachelet.   

 “This is all the more vital given that we have received disturbing reports that some detainees and
abductees have allegedly been transferred to Turkey following their detention in Syria by af liated
armed groups.” 

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2020. 09. 23. UN rights chief calls for Turkey to probe violations in northern Syria | | UN News

Civilian deaths, unknown fates 

OHCHR has veri ed that since January, at least 116 civilians were killed in these areas, and some
463 injured, by improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and explosive remnants of war (ERW).  Those
killed included 15 women, 20 boys and two girls. 

Staff have also documented the abduction and disappearance of civilians, including women and
children. The fate of some of them remains unknown. 

Meanwhile, a rise in in ghting among the groups over power-sharing has also put civilian lives and
civilian infrastructure at risk. 

Turkish-af liated armed groups have also seized and looted homes, land and other properties
without any apparent military necessity, and have occupied many of them with their own families. 

Water as a weapon of war 

Ms. Bachelet remains concerned that warring parties in Syria are using water, electricity and other
essential services as a weapon. 

She cited the example of Turkish-af liated armed groups disrupting water supply in Ras al-Ain,
affecting access for up to one million people, including displaced people living in camps. 

Similarly, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which controls al-Hassakeh, has been
accused of hindering electricity supplies for the pumping station. 

 “As we have previously warned, impeding access to water, sanitation and electricity, endangers the
lives of large numbers of people, a danger rendered all the more acute amid ghting a global
pandemic”, said Ms. Bachelet.   

She urged all parties to the con ict to ensure protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure.  

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