ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — A child suffering from severe burns he allegedly sustained during Turkish bombardment in northeast Syria is set to be brought to Erbil by the Barzani Charity Foundation (BCF) for treatment.
Mohammed Hamid, 13, was injured during the Turkish offensive to take Sari Kani from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Local medical officials have accused Turkey of using unconventional and banned weapons in the battle, allegations which Turkey denies.
Hamid’s father described the circumstances under which his son was hit.
"I returned to him and saw an artillery shell had hit our neighbor while Mohammed was laying on the ground outside,” the elder Hamid told Rudaw. “I rushed him to Tel Tamr hospital. And yesterday we came here [Qamishli]. The doctors have informed us that he is not doing well."
Rudaw's Halkawt Aziz in Qamishli said that Hamid will be taken to the Kurdistan Region-northeast Syria border later today by an ambulance, and from there to Erbil by the BCF, which was established by the family that leads the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).
"The [BCF] called us and said that they are coming to the border in order to take him and today we will go there," the father said.
Hamid is in considerable pain due to the wounds, according to his father.
"Due to the incident, his psychological state has deteriorated,” he said. “And when the physicians ask him whether he has pains, he just says 'yes.’”
A Kurdish Red Crescent team was set to visit Sari Kani on Friday in a bid to evacuate the injured, but has been prevented from entering the city by Turkish-backed forces.
According to the UK-based war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), 300,000 civilians have already been displaced due to Turkey’s operations. As of Friday, 235 people have died in the fight between Turkey and the SDF, according to the latter.
Translated by Zhelwan Z. Wali
