Turkey fails to protect civilians in Rojava: Human Rights Watch

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Human Rights Watch on Friday said Turkey appears to have violated international humanitarian law in its attacks on northeast Syria (Rojava) that have injured and killed civilians.

“In their successive military operations in northern Syria, the Turkish Armed Forces appear to have repeatedly failed to take necessary precautions to avoid civilian casualties,” the rights monitor said in a report.  

In the past five years, Turkey has carried out multiple military operations against Kurdish forces of the People’s Protection Units (YPG) and the internationally-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Rojava that it says are terrorist groups with ties to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and pose a security threat. 

Most recently, in October, Turkey conducted several assaults on security forces in Rojava and civilian infrastructure in retaliation for a PKK attack on the interior ministry in Ankara. At least 11 civilians were killed as well as tens of security force members.  

Human Rights Watch spoke to a mother and daughter who were injured by a Turkish aerial bombardment.

“I heard Farah screaming about losing her leg. I attempted to reach her, but I collapsed,” Rakza Salih Fawaz recounted what happened to her 14-year-old daughter Farah. The two were working in a cotton field on October 9 when the attack occurred.

Fawaz said there were about 30 labourers in the field and no security forces were present.

“Civilians harmed by Turkish military operations, including Rakza and Farah, deserve accountability,” said Human Rights Watch. “Turkey should thoroughly investigate strikes that killed or injured civilians and provide adequate redress, where appropriate, to victims or their families. It should hold to account those responsible for violations of international humanitarian law arising from such attacks.”

Turkey has denied targeting civilians.

“The first phase of our operation, in which we targeted only members of the terrorist organization, facilities used by terrorists, sources of income and capabilities of terrorism, was completed successfully,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in October.