The signatory Syrian organizations express their strong condemnation for the increase of hostilities across Syria since the early hours of Thursday morning, October 5, 2023, and call on the UN Security Council to immediately intervene for de-escalation and protection of the civilians. The unlawful attacks have killed and injured scores of civilians and decommissioned civilian infrastructure, inflicting harm to millions of residents in the targeted areas.
The Turkish Army carried out a series of brutal assaults against areas of northeast Syria, using both drones and warplanes. The targeted areas included populated areas and critical facilities. The Turkish strikes were in tandem with attacks carried out by Russia and the Syrian Army against cities and towns of Idlib and Aleppo countryside, following an attack on a military college in Homs City.
The latest Turkish aggressions followed an explicit and public threat, declared by Turkey’s Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, that his government intends to target infrastructure and energy facilities in Syria and Iraq, considering them “legitimate targets” for Turkish forces, following an attack on the headquarter of the Turkish Interior Ministry in Ankara which resulted in the injury of two police officers. The signatories strongly condemn targeting populated areas, power plants, oil facilities and critical infrastructure indispensable to the survival of the civilians, and further caution the international community that these attacks will definitely exacerbate the ongoing existing humanitarian crisis and will greatly affect the region’s population with its diverse components.
The persistence of the Russian forces, the Syrian army and the Turkish army in bombarding populated areas violates the fundamental principles of the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and the Rules of Armed Conflict. These rules strictly prohibit attacks against civilians and civilian objects, or the indiscriminate attacks that fail to distinguish between military and civilian objects; such actions may amount to war crimes.
The Turkish attacks have disrupted the fragile stability in the regions of north and east Syria, which have become a haven to hundreds of thousands of IDPs from all over the country. If these attacks persist, it is highly probable that they will cause another humanitarian catastrophe, further straining the already over-stretched humanitarian response efforts that have been severely impacted by the previous Turkish aggressions.
The undersigned organizations strongly condemn the military escalation throughout Syria and call for an immediate cessation of aggressions on civilians, infrastructure and critical facilities, respect the IHL and call on:
- The Security Council/United Nations: to take immediate measures to protect the civilians and their basic rights across Syria, and to intensify efforts of international mediation to cease fire and de-escalation.
- International Coalition/the USA: to immediately intervene to stop the Turkish attacks on north and east Syria, close the airspace to drones and warplanes targeting infrastructure, civilian objects, and populated areas, and to reject destabilization of the area and undermining efforts of combating the Islamic State/ISIS.
- UN agencies and humanitarian organizations: to intensify relief and humanitarian efforts to immediate respond to the humanitarian needs arising from the latest military escalation, particularly in light of the targeting of civilian objects, critical facilities and infrastructure. As well as, to promptly take action to rehabilitate affected stations and areas as quickly as possible to evade the occurrence of a humanitarian crisis and new displacement waves.
- The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic: to release a special brief on the violations that accompanied the recent military attacks by all parties in the conflict.
- The International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM): to intensify the process of collecting evidence on the serious violations of human rights perpetuated by all parties to the conflict against the civilians and civilian objects across Syria, particularly in north and east Syria.
- War Crimes Units in the countries that their enactments allow trials under the principle of universal jurisdiction: to broaden structural investigations on international crimes committed in Syria in order to include those committed in northern Syria by all parties to the conflict.
Organizations and Associations Signing the Statement:
- Aata for Development
- ACES Organization
- Adil Center For Human Rights
- Afrin platform
- Ajyal
- Al Aseel Development Association
- Al Khaboor Association
- Al-Diyar Society
- Al-raed Organization
- Al-Zajel Organization
- Amal Al-Furat Organization
- Amal for Development
- Analysis and Strategic Studies Organization (ASO)
- Anwar Al-Ghad
- Arac charity
- Areej Organisation
- Ashna for Development Organization
- Ashti Center for Peace Building
- Assyrian Society for Helping and Development
- Ataa Al-Baghouz Organization
- Awda for development
- Bader Organization for Development and Community Media
- Baladna organization
- Balsam Center for Health Education
- Better Hope for Al-Tabqa
- Better Life Organization
- Better Tomorrow Organization
- Bridges of Peace for Development
- Bukra Ahla Association for Relief and Development
- Buzog for Development
- CAESAR FAMILIES ASSOCIATION
- Center for Defending Freedoms
- Center for Research and Protection of Women s rights in Syria
- Chaushka Women’s Association
- Cloud Org
- Community Solidarity Organization
- Dan for Relief and Development
- DAR Association for Victims of Forced Displacement
- Das Leben e.v.
- Degla Organization for Development and Environment
- Deirna Organization
- DemoS Organization
- Devepomen Seeds Center
- DOZ ORGANIZATION
- Dya Al-Aml Association
- Ebdaa Organization for Development
- Ella Organization For Development and Peacebuilding
- Emaar Almansura
- Enlil Center
- Enma Aljazera
- Environment and Water Association
- Eridu Center for Civil Society and Democracy
- Euphrates NGO
- Families For Freedom
- Field Response Team
- For Them Organisation
- Friends Association for Relief and Development
- Future Makers Team
- Green Tress
- Hajeen techinecal
- HDF Humanitarian
- Hevy for Relief and Development
- Hope Links for Development HLD
- Hope Makers
- Human Rights Organization Afrin – Syria
- Human Rights Organization In Jazeera
- Humanitarian and Development Cooperation HDC
- Humanity Ray Organization
- Inaash Development Organization
- Inmaa Al fourat
- Jasmine Society
- jiyan Charity Association
- Jiyan Foundation for Human Rights
- Jsor Al-Amal
- Justice For Life
- Keskayi Org
- Khwtwa association
- Kobani for Relief and Development
- Lamsat Al-khier Association
- Lights For Development And Construction
- Maakom for Development and Peace
- MALVA FOR ARTS
- Manara Organization
- Mary for Culture, Arts and Environment
- Mitan Center for the Revival of Civil Society
- Moltaka Al-Nhren
- Monitoring and Documentation Department at North Press
- Nabd Team
- Nasmet Amal Organising
- Nawat Org
- Nawras Development organization
- NES Mine Action Center
- NGO Platform
- Noon Organization for Development and Support of Women and Children
- Nudem Organization
- Nujin Society for Development Community
- Okaaz
- Oxygen Shabab
- PEACE SHE LEADERS NET WORK
- Peace tent Org
- PÊL- Civil Waves
- Pioneers of Peace
- Purity
- Qadar Organization
- Quality, Research and Development Organization
- Rabou Al-Khair Organization
- Radiance of Hope
- Rahma Organization for Development
- Raja Organization
- Ras al-Ain/Serê Kaniyê Platform
- RFD Org
- Roj kar for Relief and Development
- Rojava Relief and Development Organization
- RojHilat for Relief and Development
- Rose Organization For Support and Empowerment
- Safe Land
- Sahem Organization for Cooperation and Development
- SALAM Organization
- Sama Organization
- Sanabel Al Furat Development Organization
- Sanad Humanitarian Organization
- Sara Organization to Combat Violence Against Women
- Sawaeed Organization for Development
- SCSD
- Shaqayiq Al-khayr
- SHARE FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
- Shilan Association for Relief and Development
- Silav Organaization For Civil Activities
- Sphere for Development
- Stability Support Centre
- Swaedna Organization for Relief and Development
- Synergy Association for Victims
- Syria Aid Foundation
- Syria Help Organization
- Syriac Cross Organization for Relief and Development
- Syrian For Truth and Justice
- Taa Marbouta
- Tara Organisation
- Tayif Humanitarian Organization
- The Civil Cooperation Team
- Together For Jarniya Organization
- Totol Foundation for Relief and Development
- Vision
- Weqaya Association
- Wheat & Olive Platform
- White hope organization
- Women for peace
- Youth For Change
- Zameen
- Zin Development Center
- ZIRAK Organization