Human Rights Organization calls for independent commission on crimes carried out in Afrin

Cebrail Mustefa, a member of the Afrin Human Rights Organization, called for the establishment of an independent commission to investigate the crimes committed in Afrin, saying they are war crimes.

Afrin was occupied by the Turkish state and its mercenaries on 18 March 2018. Since then attacks against civilians, nature and historical sites, have been increasing by the day.

Cebrail Mustefa, a member of the Afrin Human Rights Organization, told ANHA news agency: "International legal organizations and research commissions have shown in their reports the situation in Syria and have exposed the crimes committed by the invading Turkish state and its mercenaries in Afrin as war crimes and crimes against humanity. But unfortunately, these crimes continue to increase.”

Sharing the 3-month balance sheet of the crimes of the Turkish state in Afrin, Mustafa said: “Since the beginning of the year, 25 women and 200 civilians, including children and elderly people, have been abducted. Killings are sadly frequent in the region where there is no life safety left. During this time, 20 people were killed. Artillery attacks against the Shehba Canton continue and as a result of these bombardments, women and children have died, while the institution buildings in the region were severely damaged.”

Mustefa added: “The invading Turkish state and its mercenaries cut down 3,200 olive trees in about three months. They seized more than 11,000 olive trees in the provinces of Bilbil, Raco, Sheera and Meydankê. He emphasized that Turkey is trying to change the demographic structure of the region through the bases established on Hec Heseno Mountain in Jindirês, Afrin Canton.

Mustefa continued: “20 percent of the documented crimes took place in occupied Afrin. Kidnapping, pillage, and theft are just a few of the crimes we have documented. The public is afraid to tell about the crimes committed because Turkish intelligence and mercenaries have imposed a state of terror."

Mustefa called on the international community to intervene and stop the crimes of the invading Turkish state, which turned Afrin into a terrorist training center. From here in fact, the mercenaries trained by Turkey were sent to Libya, Yemen and Azerbaijan.

Underlining that the crimes committed in Afrin are war crimes, Mustefa called for an independent commission to be established to monitor the crimes committed by the occupying Turkish state and its mercenaries against the people of Afrin.