Turkey rejects accusations by a human rights organization of committing violations against civilians in Syria

Turkey announced its rejection of the accusations made against it by Human Rights Watch organization of committing violations and war crimes against civilians in northern Syria, emphasizing its respect for international humanitarian law.

This accusation came after the organization issued a report on Friday, 29 February 2024, in which it said that “Turkish forces and the Syrian armed factions supported by Turkey committed violations in the areas they control in northern Syria.”

A senior official in the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied the human rights organization’s allegations, explaining that the report does not reflect the facts on the ground and ignores Turkey’s security concerns, according to AP News.

The official said: “The Syrian opposition now manages and controls the areas that Turkish forces cleared of terrorists.”

The official stressed that the Syrian opposition has made great progress in improving human rights in those areas, and it has cooperated with UN agencies.

The “Human Rights Watch” report entitled “Everything is by the Power of the Weapon: Abuses and Impunity in Turkish-Occupied Northern Syria” documents abductions, arbitrary arrests, unlawful detention, sexual violence, and torture.

It is noteworthy that the Turkish army has launched four military operations since the intervention in Syria, the first of which is “Euphrates Shield” operation against ISIS, “Olive Branch,” “Peace Spring” operation against the Syrian Democratic Forces in Aleppo, and “Spring Shield” against the Assad regime forces in Idleb.

The Turkish army also has dozens of military bases in northern Syria, and within Turkish territory near the border with Syria.

Syria has witnessed a bloody conflict since 2011 that has killed more than half a million people, caused widespread destruction to infrastructure, and displaced more than half of the population inside and outside the country.