More reports are coming through of crimes committed by the Turkish army and allied mercenaries in the regions they have occupied in North-East Syria in violation of international law. Bombing of civilian settlements, murder, torture, and abduction have become routine in the occupied areas.

According to reports from the ground, the so-called “Military Police”, a paramilitary criminal network built by Turkey in occupied areas, kidnapped five locals from two villages in Jindires district.

Local sources report that the mercenaries kidnapped Elî Şêr Mehmûd (32) and Newres Xelîl Elî (28) from the village of Til Silor, and Mehmûd Ehmed (30), Omer Hesen Ebdo (28) and Xelîl Hisên Mihemed (31) from the village of Axçelê.

The aftermath of the kidnapped civilians is not known.

The Turkish state has established a regime of terror in the territories it has invaded together with jihadist groups under its control. Crimes such as kidnapping, execution, torture, plundering and forced migration have become a daily routine and war crimes are systematically committed, especially in the canton of Afrin, which has been occupied since March 2018.

Kidnappings of civilians are part of the daily routine. In most cases, a ransom is demanded for their release. In recent years, thousands of people have been kidnapped and tortured. Some have been executed, the fate of others is unknown.

In the first six months of this year, the invaders kidnapped 346 citizens, 30 of whom were women, and killed 18 citizens.

On the other hand, 8,500 trees were cut down, and more than 100 trees were burned, while tens of hectares of forests and fields were burned.

Following the NATO meeting in Madrid, Spain on June 30, the Turkish state has increased its crimes against the people in North and East Syria, specifically in the regions it has occupied together with jihadist allies.

According to the Afrin-Syrian Human Rights Organization, Turkey has increased its crimes of killing, kidnapping and harassing citizens in the occupied regions in order to displace the local population and to undermine the security of the region. Moreover, the Turkish state, which threatens to invade Til Rifat and Manbij, is currently targeting the civilian people with tanks, bombings and fighter jets.

The spokesperson of the Afrin Human Rights Organization, İbrahim Şêxo, remarked that the Turkish state was not satisfied with the occupation of Afrin, Serekaniye and Girê Spi, and sought now to expand its occupation toward other regions.

“The invaders are committing all kinds of crimes in the areas they have occupied and they have increased criminal acts especially after the NATO meeting on June 28. It is reported that 11 Kurdish citizens have been kidnapped, and an elderly person killed in Afrin since. In the meantime, Turkey is threatening to invade other parts of Syria,” Şêxo said.