Women’s Assembly: Turkey is the biggest obstacle to peace

Lina Berekat: Turkey is guilty of war crimes

men's Assembly has released a press statement after its meeting on Sunday. 

Syrian Women's Assembly General Coordinator Lina Berekat said that the Assembly has decided that dialogue should be the basis for any solution of this complicated process in Syria. 

Referring to the occupation of Afrin carried out by the Turkish state and its mercenary allies, Berkat said that criminals should be punished and added that the Assembly is ready to give documents to the relevant international institutions about the harassment and rape practices carried out by the invading forces.

Turkish war in Syria is deepening

Berekat talked about the rapes and harassment carried out in Afrin by the Turkish state and its mercenary allies and stated that “these crimes didn’t only happen in Afrin, but in all territories occupied by Turkey in the North of Syria. The war in Syria is deepening thanks to the training and help Turkey has been giving to terrorists all along”.

Lina Berekat pointed out that Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdoğan has plotted a conspiracy against Syria. “This conspiracy - said Berekat - is very dangerous for all peoples of Syria because its ultimately aim is to expanding the war in Syria”.

Syria Women's Assembly has resisted the occupation, said Berekat and has struggled agains this invasion. “After the invasion of Afrin - Berekat added -Turkey has began carrying out dirty practices, the main ones being abduction, rape, murder, and demographic change”.

Turkey is the main obstacle to peace

Berekat said in her statement that Turkey has forced the citizens of Afrin to emigrate and has transferred terrorists and their families from Hota, Idlib, Damascus, Homs and Hama. “Turkey - Berekat added - represents a very big danger for the Syrian people who want to live in peace. What Turkey is doing in Afrin is a war crime”.

Berekat pointed out that those who suffered most are actually women, who have been subjected to all kind of abuse since the war in Syria begun, seven years ago. “Women were deprived of their right to education and health and were forced to migrate. - said Berekat - Women have suffered and are still suffering harassment, rape, murder, and being sold like slaves”.

The Syrian Women's Assembly announced on Sunday that in Afrin 119 women have been kidnapped by Turkish occupation forces and mercenaries and that around 6,000 mercenaries and their families have so far settled in Afrin.