Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) members held a discussion about Turkish attacks on Afrin and called upon Turkey to halt all military operations immediately.

PACE members also urged United Nations Security Council to intervene with the Turkish invasion of Afrin before the conflict escalates humanitarian disaster in the region.

Chairman of European United Left, Tiny Kox criticized Erdogan regime for the recent attack on Afrin and underlined that they are concerned about the humanitarian situation in the city.

Kox said that with the Turkish invasion, the conflict in Syria entered a complicated phase and an international intervention by EU, UN Security Council is necessary.

“Ankara directly attacked Kurdish democratic administration. Afrin is one of the most secure cities in Syria. It’s a safe haven for refugees” Kox said.  

Kox called for an immediate halt to the military operation and insisted that all problems should be solved by peaceful means.

Speaking on behalf of PACE’s Christian Democrats Group, Lonut Stroe criticized Turkey’s use of military force in Afrin and remarked that problems shouldn’t be solved through use of power.

In her speech in the General Council, European Socialist’s Marianne Mikko voiced criticism over Turkish military action on Afrin. Mikko pointed out that there is no legal ground for such a military operation and shared her concerns over recent arrests of peace activists in Turkey.

Liberal Democrat’s Edmon Marukyan, Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) MP Ertugrul Kurkcu and Socialist Group’s Petra Sutter all called for international action to stop Turkish invasion of Afrin.

Irish PACE member Sean Crowe said that Turkey is targeting the local population of Afrin and called upon the assembly to condemn Turkish aggression.

Anrej Hunko from the European Left raised the question of legality of the military operation and added “I am telling to the Turkish envoy and their supporters that you didn’t enter Afrin with an invitation from Syria or the United Nations. Sorry but you don’t have the right for such an attack. This attack is a violation of international law”.