Home Press releases & statements 151 Organizations Denounce Military Escalation and Targeting Infrastructure in Syria and Call for Their Immediate Cessation

151 Organizations Denounce Military Escalation and Targeting Infrastructure in Syria and Call for Their Immediate Cessation

The United Nations Security Council, the European Union, and the USA must promptly intervene to protect civilians and end the deliberate attacks against infrastructure and public facilities

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A side of the damage left by the deliberate Turkish bombardement of 5 October 2023 on Zaraba oil station in al-Qahtaniyah, rural Qamishli. Taken by: Evan Haseeb. Credit: STJ.

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:

  1. Aata for Development
  2. ACES Organization
  3. Adil Center For Human Rights
  4. Afrin platform
  5. Ajyal
  6. Al Aseel Development Association
  7. Al Khaboor Association
  8. Al-Diyar Society
  9. Al-raed Organization
  10. Al-Zajel Organization
  11. Amal Al-Furat Organization
  12. Amal for Development
  13. Analysis and Strategic Studies Organization (ASO)
  14. Anwar Al-Ghad
  15. Arac charity
  16. Areej Organisation
  17. Ashna for Development Organization
  18. Ashti Center for Peace Building
  19. Assyrian Society for Helping and Development
  20. Ataa Al-Baghouz Organization
  21. Awda for development
  22. Bader Organization for Development and Community Media
  23. Baladna organization
  24. Balsam Center for Health Education
  25. Better Hope for Al-Tabqa
  26. Better Life Organization
  27. Better Tomorrow Organization
  28. Bridges of Peace for Development
  29. Bukra Ahla Association for Relief and Development
  30. Buzog for Development
  31. CAESAR FAMILIES ASSOCIATION
  32. Center for Defending Freedoms
  33. Center for Research and Protection of Women s rights in Syria
  34. Chaushka Women’s Association
  35. Cloud Org
  36. Community Solidarity Organization
  37. Dan for Relief and Development
  38. DAR Association for Victims of Forced Displacement
  39. Das Leben e.v.
  40. Degla Organization for Development and Environment
  41. Deirna Organization
  42. DemoS Organization
  43. Devepomen Seeds Center
  44. DOZ ORGANIZATION
  45. Dya Al-Aml Association
  46. Ebdaa Organization for Development
  47. Ella Organization For Development and Peacebuilding
  48. Emaar Almansura
  49. Enlil Center
  50. Enma Aljazera
  51. Environment and Water Association
  52. Eridu Center for Civil Society and Democracy
  53. Euphrates NGO
  54. Families For Freedom
  55. Field Response Team
  56. For Them Organisation
  57. Friends Association for Relief and Development
  58. Future Makers Team
  59. Green Tress
  60. Hajeen techinecal
  61. HDF Humanitarian
  62. Hevy for Relief and Development
  63. Hope Links for Development HLD
  64. Hope Makers
  65. Human Rights Organization Afrin – Syria
  66. Human Rights Organization In Jazeera
  67. Humanitarian and Development Cooperation HDC
  68. Humanity Ray Organization
  69. Inaash Development Organization
  70. Inmaa Al fourat
  71. Jasmine Society
  72. jiyan Charity Association
  73. Jiyan Foundation for Human Rights
  74. Jsor Al-Amal
  75. Justice For Life
  76. Keskayi Org
  77. Khwtwa association
  78. Kobani for Relief and Development
  79. Lamsat Al-khier Association
  80. Lights For Development And Construction
  81. Maakom for Development and Peace
  82. MALVA FOR ARTS
  83. Manara Organization
  84. Mary for Culture, Arts and Environment
  85. Mitan Center for the Revival of Civil Society
  86. Moltaka Al-Nhren
  87. Monitoring and Documentation Department at North Press
  88. Nabd Team
  89. Nasmet Amal Organising
  90. Nawat Org
  91. Nawras Development organization
  92. NES Mine Action Center
  93. NGO Platform
  94. Noon Organization for Development and Support of Women and Children
  95. Nudem Organization
  96. Nujin Society for Development Community
  97. Okaaz
  98. Oxygen Shabab
  99. PEACE SHE LEADERS NET WORK
  100. Peace tent Org
  101. PÊL- Civil Waves
  102. Pioneers of Peace
  103. Purity
  104. Qadar Organization
  105. Quality, Research and Development Organization
  106. Rabou Al-Khair Organization
  107. Radiance of Hope
  108. Rahma Organization for Development
  109. Raja Organization
  110. Ras al-Ain/Serê Kaniyê Platform
  111. RFD Org
  112. Roj kar for Relief and Development
  113. Rojava Relief and Development Organization
  114. RojHilat for Relief and Development
  115. Rose Organization For Support and Empowerment
  116. Safe Land
  117. Sahem Organization for Cooperation and Development
  118. SALAM Organization
  119. Sama Organization
  120. Sanabel Al Furat Development Organization
  121. Sanad Humanitarian Organization
  122. Sara Organization to Combat Violence Against Women
  123. Sawaeed Organization for Development
  124. SCSD
  125. Shaqayiq Al-khayr
  126. SHARE FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
  127. Shilan Association for Relief and Development
  128. Silav Organaization For Civil Activities
  129. Sphere for Development
  130. Stability Support Centre
  131. Swaedna Organization for Relief and Development
  132. Synergy Association for Victims
  133. Syria Aid Foundation
  134. Syria Help Organization
  135. Syriac Cross Organization for Relief and Development
  136. Syrian For Truth and Justice
  137. Taa Marbouta
  138. Tara Organisation
  139. Tayif Humanitarian Organization
  140. The Civil Cooperation Team
  141. Together For Jarniya Organization
  142. Totol Foundation for Relief and Development
  143. Vision
  144. Weqaya Association
  145. Wheat & Olive Platform
  146. White hope organization
  147. Women for peace
  148. Youth For Change
  149. Zameen
  150. Zin Development Center
  151. ZIRAK Organization

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