The Democratic Syrian Council (MSD) held a press conference on the inhuman behaviours carried out by the occupying Turkish state and its affiliated gang groups in Northern Syria.  

Members of the MSD Presidency Council and a large number of journalists attended the meeting held in the Assembly building in Qamishlo.

Speaking at the meeting, MSD Co-Chairperson Ilham Ehmed recalled that the invading Turkish state launched its occupation attacks on Afrin at a time when attempts were under way to resolve the war in Syria. A war which is entering its 8th year.

‘Crimes against humanity committed in Afrin’

Indicating that the attacks of the Turkish state aimed to destroy the culture and history of the peoples of the region, Ehmed added: "After the occupying Turkish state forced the people of the region to leave their homes, they moved the families of their gangs to Afrin, thus trying to change the demographic structure of the region. So far, the Turkish state, which has “planted” some 4,000 gang members in Afrin, has not stopped plundering the properties and homes of civilian people. The Turkish state is violating all international laws in Afrin, and is guilty of crimes against humanity”.

Reaction to silence

Ehmed went on underlining the attempt by the Turkish state to force the Yezidi people living in the region to forcibly become Muslims, while at the same time it abducting and raping women.

"Furthermore, in Afrin they have begun giving education in Turkish in the schools. The Turkish state also established a council made up of foreigners. Unfortunately, we have to underline that the international community remains silent despite of all these abuses and crimes carried out in the city”.

UN Responsibility

Ilham Ehmed emphasized that over 200 thousand Afrin citizens, forcibly displaced and by the Turkish state and gang groups, have settled in Shehba Canton and are struggling to survive under very difficult conditions.

"Again, 60 thousand students in the city were deprived of their education rights. Many Afrin citizens also lost their lives while leaving their homes. The UN hold their share of responsibility on this”, she said.

Ehmed, who called on the lawyers in Syria to document the crimes against humanity and inhuman practices implemented by the Turkish state, said: "We are calling on the international community to fulfil its duty and take responsibility for the inhuman practices in the region”.

Furthermore, Ehmed insisted that the international humanitarian organizations and the international community should pay attention to the list of conditions needed to fulfil in order to solve the situation of the people of Afrin as well as and the war in Syria as soon as possible:

"1. All decisions made in the international area to stop the war in Syria should be put into practice as soon as possible.

2. Basic needs and health supplies should be delivered to the people of Afrin as soon as possible.

3. The demographic change policy in Afrin must be stopped as soon as possible and the people of Afrin must return to their homes.

4. The occupation forces in the region must be removed. Again, the invading Turkish state's military forces in the villages of Bab, Jarablus, Azaz, Afrin, Idlib, Hama and Homs should be removed immediately from the region. The occupation carried out by the invading Turkish state has meant some 600 thousand civilians have been displaced. Programmes should be carried out in order to return the civilians to their homes under supervision by international forces in these regions.

5.Turkish intervention in the internal affairs of Syria must be stopped.

6. The war in Syria must be resolved within the framework of international law and through political work with the participation of all national forces.

7.Russia should pressure on its allies that hinder the Operation Cizire Storm”.

Ending her speech, Ilham Ehmed said: "We are ready to work with all national forces in a democratic way for the liberation of Syria based on the co-existence and brotherhood of peoples”.