Human Rights Watch (HRW) has reported that a drone strike by the Turkey-Syrian National Army (SNA) coalition on January 18, 2025, targeting a Kurdish Red Crescent ambulance in northern Syria, constitutes an apparent war crime. Witnesses stated that the ambulance was transporting a civilian wounded in an earlier drone attack that day on protesters at the Tishreen (Tishrin) Dam. According to HRW-verified sources, these attacks killed six civilians, including a well-known Kurdish actor, and injured at least 16 others.

An SNA-affiliated account published drone footage of the strike on the protesters at the dam. However, HRW could not independently verify whether the strikes were carried out by Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) or SNA fighters.

HRW Senior Middle East and North Africa researcher Hiba Zayadin emphasized Turkey’s role in the conflict, stating: "The SNA and Turkish forces have shown a troubling pattern of unlawful attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, even celebrating them. Turkey, as the SNA’s main backer, must rein in these abuses or risk complicity in their crimes."

Escalation of Attacks at Tishreen Dam

The Tishreen Dam has become a focal point of clashes between the Turkey-SNA coalition and the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) since December 2024. Protesters have gathered at the site to deter attacks amid concerns that continued bombardment could cause structural failure. HRW reported that at least four attacks by the Turkey -SNA coalition in January resulted in 20 civilian deaths and over 120 injuries. The SDF has warned that the dam has been out of service since December 10 due to clashes, leaving over 413,000 people in Manbij and Kobani without water and electricity. The International Committee of the Red Cross has cautioned that further damage to the dam could lead to catastrophic humanitarian consequences.

HRW: Ambulance Strike Violates International Law

HRW emphasized that the ambulance was clearly marked and identifiable from the air. Two photographs posted on social media on January 18 show the ambulance damaged and halted in the middle of the road. Under international humanitarian law, medical units, including ambulances, are protected from attacks and must not be targeted.

A Kurdish Red Crescent ambulance driver who survived the strike told HRW that he was on his way to the Tishreen Dam protest site when a civilian vehicle stopped him, requesting help for an injured girl. "She had an abdominal wound from the earlier attack. We transferred her into the ambulance, but minutes later, we were hit by a drone strike," he recounted. The explosion shattered the ambulance's windows and forced its doors open. HRW concluded that such an attack cannot be dismissed as an accident and likely to constitute a war crime.

Turkey -SNA Coalition’s Human Rights Violations

HRW has repeatedly documented systematic human rights abuses in areas controlled by the Turkey -SNA coalition. According to the organization, SNA factions and Turkish forces have engaged in arbitrary detentions, abductions, sexual violence, torture, land theft, and extortion. Additionally, Turkish-backed strikes on civilian infrastructure in Kurdish-held areas have severely disrupted water, electricity, and essential services for millions.

Under international law, parties to a conflict must ensure the protection of wounded individuals, medical personnel, and civilian infrastructure. Even in combat zones, attacks must be proportionate, and emergency services must be granted safe passage to carry out humanitarian operations.

HRW has called on the international community to take action against Turkey -SNA coalition abuses and demand accountability. "Striking an ambulance carrying wounded civilians on an open road is unlikely to be an accident. This appears to be a war crime, and the perpetrators must be held accountable," Zayadin stated.