Brutal violations of the Turkish state and its mercenaries throughout 2023 resulted in the martyrdom of hundreds, including civilians, children, and women, as well as military personnel.
The Media Center of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced the balance sheet of war crimes and violations committed by the Turkish state and allied mercenaries against North-East Syrian territories during 2023.
The SDF statement released on Saturday includes the following:
"Throughout the year 2023, the Turkish occupation and its mercenaries persisted in committing brutal violations against the regions of north and eastern Syria. They have carried out relentless attacks using various forms of aggression, employing a wide range of weapons, including warplanes, UAVs, heavy artillery, mortars, and tanks. These assaults resulted in the martyrdom of hundreds, including civilians, children, and women, as well as military personnel. The attacks deliberately targeted legitimate points of protection, causing extensive damage to civilian properties, including villages and densely populated cities.
The aggression launched by the Turkish occupation state on the 5th of last October and the 25th of last December was the most ruthless and hostile. Turkish occupation officials, with utter brutality, declared their intent to target our vital infrastructure, including gas fields, facilities, and service structures. This included oil fields, refineries, and storage tanks, as well as water and power stations, mills, schools, hospitals, and the homes of civilians. This blatant announcement indicated the ruthless targeting of all aspects of life in our regions and the insidious intentions of the occupation state to annex new territories in north and eastern Syria.
Furthermore, the attacks carried out by mercenaries affiliated with the Syrian regime in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor also resulted in the martyrdom of several of our fighters while confronting the attempted infiltrations. Some of the mercenaries infiltrated several towns in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor, looting the contents of water and power stations and causing destruction where theft was not possible. However, our forces dealt decisively with these mercenaries and swiftly restored order in the five towns, bringing back security and stability to these areas.
The attacks launched by Turkish occupation mercenaries on the areas along the contact lines in Shahba, Manbij, Ain Issa, Tal Tamir, and Zarkan, following the repulsion of the Syrian regime mercenaries’ attacks in the countryside of Deir Ezzor, were thwarted through the resistance and steadfastness of our fighters on all fronts. The mercenaries and occupation forces suffered significant losses in both lives and equipment during these confrontations.
On their part, our forces carried out focused operations against the Turkish occupation forces in several areas within the framework of their legitimate right to self-defense. These operations inflicted significant losses on the mercenaries and occupation forces.
The following is a summary of the war crimes committed by the Turkish occupation and its mercenaries during 2023:
1-Total number of attacks: /798/ attacks, including:
-Heavy weapons: /578/ attacks
-Warplanes and UAVs airstrikes: /103/
– Light weapons and sniper attacks: /25/
-IEDs and mine attacks: Two attacks
2-Total number of martyrs: /111/ martyrs, including:
-Military martyrs due to attacks by Turkish occupation, ISIS, Syrian regime mercenaries, and military accidents /173/martyrs.
-Civilian Martyrs: /39/ martyr including /11/ children.
3-Total number of wounded: / 98/
-Military fighters wounded: /15/ fighters
-Civilian wounded: /83/ civilians, including /5/ children
In addition to their attacks, the Turkish occupation and its mercenaries also committed other violations, including cutting off water coming from the Euphrates River. This act resulted in a significant environmental and humanitarian catastrophe in the north and eastern regions of Syria, which heavily rely on the waters of the Euphrates for irrigation, electricity generation, and drinking.
Turkish attacks after the earthquake:
following the earthquake disaster on February 6, The Turkish occupation inhumanely exploited the situation by launching 24 attacks against our regions using heavy weapons and tanks. Additionally, Turkish UAVs carried out two attacks against civilian targets. Turkish UAVs violated the region’s airspace more than 348 times. Furthermore, Turkish warplanes and helicopters violated the airspace 27 times.
Attacks coincided with Operation Security Reinforcement:
In conjunction with the Operation Security Reinforcement launched by our forces on August 27th, the Turkish occupation and its mercenaries attempted to exploit our forces’ engagement in countering armed mercenary groups in Deir Ezzor. The mercenaries of the Turkish occupation launched multiple attacks along the front lines, starting from the Shahba regions, passing through Manbij—where the attacks were most intense—then continuing to Ain Issa, and reaching Tal Tamir and Zarkan. They employed the same deceitful tactics used by the Syrian regime and its mercenaries, falsely portraying the attacking groups as tribal fighters. However, our forces successfully repelled all attacks, inflicting significant losses on the mercenaries in terms of lives and equipment.
Water Disruption:
In the initial half of March, the Euphrates River faced a critical decline in flow due to Turkey closing dams. This led to a substantial reduction in water entering the Euphrates Dam, causing power outages in multiple areas. The situation compelled residents in rural areas to resort to contaminated water sources, resulting in the proliferation of epidemics and diseases.
Simultaneously, the disruption of the Euphrates River water supply coincided with recurrent shutdowns of the ‘Alok’ water station in the occupied city of ‘Serekaniye/Ras al-Ain.’ This station serves as a vital source of drinking water for the city of Al-Hasakah. Despite the prevailing drought, escalating temperatures, and the scarcity of drinking water, the Turkish occupation abruptly cut off water to Al-Hasakah on June 27. This drastic measure involved suspending water pumping from the ‘Alok’ wells station in the countryside of ‘Serekaniye/Ras al-Ain,’ located north of Al-Hasakah.
October Brutal Attack:
On the morning of October 5, 2023, the Turkish occupation launched brutal attacks using warplanes, UAVs, and heavy weaponry on multiple areas in north and eastern Syria. The main targets were critical infrastructure, including water and electricity stations, oil facilities, grain silos, schools, and public service facilities. The Turkish army carried out numerous airstrikes, tank and heavy artillery shelling, and rocket launches from their bases in the occupied territories. The attacks extended along the ceasefire line, affecting areas like Tal Tamir, Ain Issa, Manbij, Shahba, and the southeastern countryside of Afrin. Additionally, the Turkish forces, employing mercenaries, many of whom are sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury, and elements from the former terrorist organization ‘Hayat Tahrir al-Sham,’ executed infiltration operations.
Massacres against civilians:
On April 2, 2023, the Turkish occupation forces shelled the village of “Ain al-Abd” in the countryside of the “Tal Tamir” district. This resulted in the Martyrdom of two sisters, and three other siblings sustained various injuries. Another brother succumbed later to severe wounds. Thus, the total number of martyrs in the massacre committed by the occupation against children from the same family reached three (two sisters and one brother).
On August 8, 2023, the Turkish occupation forces, using heavy artillery, shelled the village of “Al-Sharika, near Suluk district, south of the international highway (M4). This tragic incident led to the martyrdom of a woman and her two children, while another old woman and her grandchildren were injured as a shell hit their home.
The martyrs are:
Grandmother “Douza/60 years old.”
The girl “Hiba Al-Khallawi/10 years old.”
The boy “Abdullah/3 years old.”
The injured include:
The girl “Malak/12 years old.”
The girl “Tahani/5 years old.”
The mother of the children “Haya Omar/25 years old.” All of them belong to the family of “Al-Hadi Al-Khallawi.”
On September 1, 2023, the Turkish occupation carried out a heavy bombardment on Al-Muhsenli village in the northwestern countryside of Manbij. This ruthless attack resulted in the martyrdom of four innocent children:
On September 6, 2023, the village of Tahna in the western countryside of Manbij province faced heavy bombardment by the Turkish occupation, causing injuries to three children from the same family:
On August 23, 2023, a Turkish occupation UAV intentionally targeted a vehicle near the intersection of the village of Tal Sha’ir on the Qamishli-Amoda Road. The vehicle was transporting a group of journalists associated with Jin TV. This malicious attack led to the untimely death of one of the channel’s employees, Najm al-Din Faisal Hajj Sinnan. Additionally, journalist Dalila Akid, also affiliated with the channel, suffered injuries in the same incident.
On October 8, 2023, the Turkish occupation, from its bases, targeted female laborers engaged in cotton harvesting in the village of Al-Bashiriya, situated on the outskirts of Derbasyia. The ruthless attack resulted in the severe injury of five female workers, namely:
On October 9, 2023, the Turkish occupation targeted the village of Mastur in the countryside of Ain Issa with artillery shelling, resulting in the martyrdom of two innocent children:
-Nadia Al-Iyash, 10 years old.
-Ali Al-Iyash, 9 years old.
On October 7, 2023, Turkish heavy artillery shelled Al-Khalidiya village in the western countryside of Ain Issa, resulting in the martyrdom of the woman Amsha Khalil Al-Bakkari (65 years old) and injuring her husband, Mohammed Al-Khalaf Al-Ali (70 years old).
On October 8, 2023, Turkish warplanes targeted a training center for anti-drug forces supported by the international coalition located in the village of Hamza Bak, south of the city of Derik, the airstrike resulted in the martyrdom of 29 members and the injury of numerous others.
On December 25, 2023, Turkish occupation UAVs ruthlessly attacked the ‘Simaf’ printing press in Qamishli. The assault extended to various critical locations, including the ‘Sadkop’ fuel station in the ‘Jernk neighborhood, a goods warehouse, an industrial facility in the ‘Alaya’ neighborhood, two construction companies, a COVID-19 hospital, a power station, a fodder warehouse, a kidney dialysis hospital, and a medical oxygen plant. The indiscriminate targeting further affected the rear area of the Martyrs’ Cemetery, a ceramic warehouse near the Transportation Roundabout, the ‘Aziz’ bus station, a cement construction warehouse, and the Thursday Market in the ‘Alaya’ neighborhood.
In Amuda, three separate attacks targeted the Karam wedding hall, a grain depot, and an olive oil warehouse. Meanwhile, in Kobani six attacks were reported. These assaults were directed at a car garage, the ‘Mishtenur’ hospital supported by the international organization ‘Médecins Sans Frontières’ (Doctors Without Borders), a company, a civilian chicken farm on the road to the village of ‘Tarmik,’ a civilian farm on the road to Aleppo, a car repair garage, and the ‘Ahmad Tamr’ construction company. Tragically, eight civilians lost their lives as a result of these attacks.
Targeting of Infrastructure and Service Facilities:
The number of civilian facilities and oil-related infrastructure targeted by Turkish occupation aircraft reached 74. The details are as follows:
Targeting Oil and Gas Fields:
The number of oil facilities that were targeted reached /18/ facilities, including:
Targeting Power Stations:
Seven power stations were targeted, and the details are as follows:
Targeting Hospitals and Schools:
Turkish airstrikes targeted schools and public hospitals. The “Dada Abdul” village school in the eastern countryside of Ras al-Ain was shelled, and the “Al-Fatisa” village school in the countryside of Ain Issa was sniped. Additionally, the “Corona Hospital” in Kobani, the field hospital supported by Médecins Sans Frontières, and the “Corona Hospital” in the village of “Kari Fra” in the countryside of Derik were destroyed. The “Corona Hospital” and the kidney dialysis hospital in Qamishli were also targeted.
Targeting Water Stations:
Targeting Other Service Facilities:
Turkish transgressions primarily revolve around the deliberate destruction of infrastructure, service institutions, and residential homes within the targeted population. These actions serve as a means to instill fear, undermine security, and destabilize the region. Such conduct is unequivocally recognized and documented as war crimes. It is imperative to emphasize that no international or regional entity should extend political cover for Turkey’s occupation of significant areas in Syria, notably “Serê Kaniyê, Tal Abyad, and Afrin.”
In light of these circumstances, we strongly urge international stakeholders, particularly the guarantor countries, to fulfill their obligations by intervening to halt Turkish crimes. Pressuring Turkey to withdraw from the occupied territories and facilitating the return of displaced individuals to their homes and lands must be prioritized. Concurrently, we call upon international human rights organizations and institutions to establish an impartial international committee tasked with investigating the offenses committed by the Turkish army and affiliated terrorist factions against the inhabitants of the occupied territories. Holding the perpetrators accountable and ensuring justice is served is paramount.
Simultaneously, we reiterate our commitment to our people, assuring them of the unwavering readiness of our forces to make additional sacrifices. This commitment is driven by our determination to shield them from the assaults of the Turkish occupation, thwart the objectives of terrorist forces seeking to occupy our areas, prevent population displacement, and create a secure environment impervious to the activities of terrorist cells associated with the Turkish occupation and its mercenaries."
