The UN Syrian Commission of Inquiry documented continuing violations and abuses by the Turkish state and its mercenaries in the occupied areas, particularly Afrin, Serêkaniyê and Girê Spi.

The report also highlights an increase in patterns of targeted abuses such as assassinations, sexual and gender-based violence against women and girls, and looting or appropriation of private property, with sectarian undertones. Civilian suffering is a constant and personal feature of this crisis.

Jazira Region Human Rights Organization co-chair Evin Cuma said that the UN Commission's report on Syria was the first to document the war crimes committed by the invading Turkish state and its mercenaries against civilians in Afrin, Serêkaniyê and Girê Spî.

Cuma told ANHA that the report announced by the commission shows evidence that the invading Turkish state and its affiliated mercenaries committed war crimes in Afrin, Serêkaniyê and Gire Spî. “These crimes are torture, rape, psychological and physical violence against women. Although the commission stated that the responsibility lies with the Turkish state, they put pressure on the Turkish state to act in accordance with human rights agreements and stressed the need to ensure security in the occupied territories Northern and Eastern Syria was occupied, the mercenaries continue to carry out crimes such as massacres, abductions, arrests, sexual abuse, torture of women.”

Cuma continued: “However, if this situation is not addressed properly, the Turkish state mercenaries will continue to violate the human rights conventions that protect all people in the occupied territories. The officials on the ground have failed to take the necessary measures to prevent such crimes."

Stating that only some of the crimes committed by the occupying Turkish state and its affiliated mercenaries against women and children were recorded in the report, Evin added: “Not all crimes committed have been recorded. Despite the available documents and evidence, the report often uses the conditional tense when referring to crimes which have been proved and the language of the report as a whole is one of estimation of crimes. On the contrary, the language in the report should have been accusing the Turkish state and its mercenaries, given the evidence of the crimes. Instead it gives the impression that it rather avoid responsibility.”

Emphasizing that international and regional human rights organizations should act to stop the crimes committed against women, Evin Cuma said: “The international community should call for a fair investigation and pressure the Turkish state and its mercenaries to withdraw from occupied Afrin, Serêkaniyê and Girê Spî. Legal organizations should work to document crimes against women that could not be reported due to fear and difficulty in reaching the authorities.”