The attacks carried out by the occupying Turkish state against North and East Syria have created a deeply alarming humanitarian situation in the region. In particular, airstrikes and ground bombardments pose a serious and immediate threat to the lives of civilians.

Numerous attacks carried out in January, February, and March have severely affected life in the region, resulting in the martyrdom of 229 civilians and the injury of at least 311 others. This situation reveals a grim reality in which international human rights and the laws of war are being violated, civilians are deliberately targeted, and the humanitarian crisis is deepening. In this context, we also discussed the Turkish state’s assaults on the region in our conversations with lawyer Mistefa Shex Muslim, Yusif Kute from Qamishlo, and Suzan Oso from Afrin (Efrîn).

January

There were 385 instances of unmanned aerial vehicle activity, 105 instances of warplane activity, 34 airstrikes carried out by warplanes, 20 drone strikes, 3 suicide drone attacks, 162 artillery shelling attacks, 32 mortar attacks, 5 tank assaults, 23 DShK heavy machine gun attacks, 5 grenade launcher attacks, 8 infiltration attempts, 1 ambush attempt, 18 AK-47 attacks, 11 BKC light machine gun attacks, 7 RPG-7 attacks, 1 RBC attack, 3 targeted assassinations, 3 missile attacks, 1 hand grenade attack, and 1 instance of harassment fire.

February

There were 380 instances of unmanned aerial vehicle (UCAV) activity, 102 instances of warplane activity, 25 airstrikes carried out by warplanes, 15 drone strikes, 3 suicide drone attacks, 162 artillery shelling attacks, 32 mortar attacks, 3 tank assaults, 17 DShK heavy machine gun attacks, 5 infiltration attempts, 5 grenade launcher attacks, 11 AK-47 attacks, 7 BKC light machine gun attacks, 5 RPG-7 attacks, 3 attempted assassinations, 1 hand grenade attack, and 1 instance of harassment fire.

March (01–15 March 2025)

There were 88 instances of unmanned and armed drone activity, 9 instances of warplane activity, 12 airstrikes carried out by warplanes, 5 drone strikes, 50 artillery shelling attacks, 43 mortar attacks, 80 DShK heavy machine gun attacks, 1 infiltration attempt, 1 RBC attack, and 2 AK-47 attacks.

At least 229 martyrs and 311 injured

According to information obtained from the Health Committee of North and East Syria and relevant institutions and organizations, at least 229 civilians were martyred and at least 311 others were injured between 1 January and 15 March 2025.

A few examples of the massacres

11 January

A warplane strike on the village of Mesreb, located in the Sirin district of the Euphrates Canton, killed a father and his two children, while five other members of the same family were injured.

Names of those martyred: Ismail Hesen Mistefa (37), Fatma Ismail Mistefa (12), Aysha Ismail Mistefa (13)

Names of those injured: Hesen Ismail Mistefa (10), Khilud Ismail Mistefa (8), Iman Ismail Mistefa (5), Ali Ismail Mistefa (2), Behriya Ismail Mistefa (1)

27 January

In the city of Sirin in the Euphrates Canton, armed drones bombed a public marketplace. Thirteen people were martyred and twelve others were injured in the attack.

28 January

The bombing of the village of Um Hermel in Zirgan resulted in the martyrdom of three people, including one child. Nine others were injured in the attack.

17 March

In a massacre carried out by the occupying Turkish state in the village of Berxbotan in Kobanê, armed drones and heavy weapons were used during a night-time assault. Seven children, along with their mother and father, were martyred, and two other members of the family were critically wounded. Despite all efforts, one of the injured later succumbed to their wounds, raising the death toll to ten.

Names of those martyred: Ahin Osman Ebdo (15), Dicle Osman Ebdo (14), Dilovan Osman Ebdo (13), Yasir Osman Ebdo (6), Fawaz Osman Ebdo (2), Saliha Osman Ebdo (4), Avesta Osman Ebdo (8 months old), Ronida Osman Ebdo (18 – succumbed to injuries on 18 March), Osman Berkel Ebdo (father – 42), Xezal Osman Ebdo (mother – 39)

Name of the injured: Narin Osman Ebdo (9)

Geneva Conventions are being violated

Mistefa Shex Muslim emphasized that the targeting of civilians is unacceptable from both a humanitarian and legal perspective, and stated: “According to international law, no matter the circumstances, targeting civilians can never be justified. Yet the occupying Turkish state has been brutally killing civilians who have lived in this region for years. Most recently, in the village of Berxbotan near Kobanê, ten members of a single family lost their lives when their home was bombed, and one other was seriously injured.

In addition, institutions and infrastructure in the region are being directly targeted and destroyed, wiping out the livelihoods of local communities. The Geneva Conventions, which consist of four parts, strictly prohibit the targeting of civilians and include key provisions for their protection. Unfortunately, the Turkish state continues to massacre civilians every day before the eyes of the world.”

Attempt to create chaos in the region

Mistefa Shex Muslim stated that the Turkish state aims to turn areas such as Afrin in Syria into zones of occupation and added: “In regions where peace and stability exist, the Turkish state and its proxy militias are deliberately generating crisis and chaos. They launch attacks using all the technical means at their disposal in an effort to keep these areas trapped in a permanent state of war. As a result of these assaults, it is especially women, children, and innocent civilians who are being killed.”

Even war has its rules and ethics

Mistefa Shex Muslim highlighted the massacre that took place on 17 March, when a civilian home in the village of Berxbotan in Kobanê was attacked: “The Turkish state’s true intentions can no longer be concealed; it is now impossible to hide them. According to the laws of war, targeting institutions and civilians is unequivocally a war crime. Even war has its own rules and ethics. But the Turkish state has neither principles nor moral integrity. As a result of this attack, an entire family was annihilated—only one person survived.”

Mistefa Shex Muslim also addressed international institutions and organizations and concluded with the following remarks: “There is no legal basis for turning a blind eye to the massacre of civilians. Why do international institutions, whose duty and responsibility it is to act, remain silent? While the global media brings attention to the atrocities in Palestine, why does it continue to ignore the attacks and massacres in North and East Syria? The only difference between these attacks is geography — the level of barbarity is the same. International institutions and Syrian media alike are choosing to remain silent in the face of the Turkish state’s attacks targeting civilians in North and East Syria.”

We will be in the streets against these attacks

Suzan Oso from Afrin condemned the attacks carried out by the Turkish state and said: “The daily attacks targeting our region are still ongoing. The Turkish state wants to break the will of the people. It aims to destroy their belief in life and leave them in despair. But despite the massacres, the people continue to stand tall and vow to take revenge. These attacks by the Turkish state are acts of cruelty—people are being massacred—yet there are no sanctions or consequences for the Turkish state. We will be in the streets every day against these attacks, and we will continue our struggle.”

Attacks intend to sabotage the Autonomous Administration project

Yusif Kute from Qamishlo condemned the Turkish state’s attacks and stated: “The assaults carried out by the Turkish state against this region are acts of revenge and attempts to destabilize peace. These are attacks meant to sabotage the Autonomous Administration project and the eight-point agreement. The Turkish state does not want a democratic, egalitarian, and peaceful life to take root in Syria. Instead, it seeks to take control of the region.”

Yusif Kute also mentioned the Berxbotan massacre as part of a broader pattern of violence: “On 24 January, a civilian was martyred in Heseke when a moving vehicle and motorcycle were targeted. On 17 March in Berxbotan, ten members of one family were martyred. In the attacks on Tishrin, many of our citizens also lost their lives. The fighters resisting in Tishrin are children of this land. Every day, one of our sons or daughters is martyred in Turkish state attacks; our peoples are being massacred.”