International reactions against the attacks of the Turkish state and allied gang groups called the Syrian National Army (SNA) against the regions under the control of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (Rojava) continue.

Fabian Molina, Member of the Federal Parliament for the Swiss Socialist Party and Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Alex Farinelli, Member of the Federal Parliament for the Liberal-Radical Party, Erich Vontobel, Member of the Federal Parliament for the Federal Democratic Union, Balthasar Glättli, Member of the Federal Parliament for the Green Party, and Stefan Müller-Altermatt, Member of the Parliament for the Centre Fraction (Die Mitte), submitted a motion to the Federal Council highlighting the threats posed by the attacks on the autonomous region of North and East Syria and calling on the Swiss Federal Council to take action against the ongoing attacks.

Attacks pose a serious threat to ethnic and religious minorities

The motion pointed out that the Turkish state's attacks on the Autonomous Administration areas of North and East Syria jeopardise the stability of the region and said: “The attacks pose a serious threat to ethnic and religious minorities such as Kurdish, Armenian, Assyrian, Yazidi and Christian communities.”

Remarking that the ongoing attacks against the region have reactivated ISIS cells, the motion said: “The destabilisation in the region could also lead to the revival of extremist groups such as ISIS and new refugee movements. Due to its humanitarian tradition and its responsibility under international law, Switzerland has an obligation to work to end this escalation without violating its neutrality.”

‘The Council should use all foreign policy instruments’

The parliamentarians appealed to the Swiss Federal Council, saying: “The Council should use all foreign policy instruments within the framework of neutrality to ensure the protection of ethnic and religious minorities in Syria and to work for de-escalation by ending attacks on northern and eastern Syria.”

The motion submitted to the Swiss Federal Council was also signed by a large number of deputies from five political parties.