Kurdish opposition official says Turkey responsible for crimes in Afrin

"We are unable to enter the occupied cities of Afrin, Serekaniye, and Gire Spi; therefore, we document the violations according to our resources."

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Redwan Seydo, a member of the legal office of the Kurdish National Council (KNC), said in an interview earlier this week that Turkey is “an occupying power” responsible for any violations committed in the Kurdish region of Afrin in northwestern Syria.

In a televised interview with Kurdistan 24 on Monday, Seydo said the KNC legal office had “documented many violations,” and “conveyed our reports to international organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.”

“The armed groups, since their entrance into Afrin, Serekaniye (Ras al-Ain), and Gire Spi (Tal Abyad), have committed numerous violations, from war crimes to crimes against humanity,” he added.

The KNC official also criticized the international response to violations in Afrin, suggesting states prioritize their interests.

“If they wanted, they could have raised the issue of violations against Turkey. These violations are a part of Turkey’s dark pages [in history],” he stated. “Another effect would be – since Turkey wanted to join the EU – [that this] could delay that project. Our activists in Europe are making all their efforts in this field [reporting].”

Seydo urged international human rights organizations to “make it possible to receive the name of groups and individuals who are behind the violations, to be tried by international courts in the future.”

“There are shortcomings from the EU and the UN when it comes to dealing with the occupation state of Turkey – and I am speaking legally – according to The Hague Convention, Turkey is responsible for crimes committed by the armed factions in Afrin.”

The KNC is a member of the Turkish-backed Syrian National Coalition (SNC). The KNC says it has attempted to work with the SNC to end these violations and allow civilians to return home and to expel armed groups from these towns.

But Seydo told Kurdistan 24 that the Syrian political opposition “has been negligent, and they are also responsible for these crimes.”

“We continue asking the Syrian opposition [to fulfil their duties], yet we can see the occupation state of Turkey having influence over the Syrian opposition, especially a section of them,” he continued, adding that it may “be the reason behind their indifference” toward violations in Afrin, Serekaniye, and Gire Spi.

“We are unable to enter the occupied cities of Afrin, Serekaniye, and Gire Spi; therefore, we document the violations according to our resources. Hundreds of crimes and violations have been committed in these areas: war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.”

The KNC official said its legal office meets with victims, records names, details the crimes, and reports them to international organizations.

This is not the first time the KNC has criticized violations by the Turkish-backed armed groups. In November 2019, senior KNC leader Fuad Aliko angered the Syrian opposition for accusing the Turkish-backed rebels of looting and stealing.

“We openly say that these [factions] are mercenaries. They are hired; there is no such thing as the [Syrian] National Army.”

A report by the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria published in March accused Turkish-backed rebels of carrying out war crimes such as murder, pillaging, and targeting of Kurdish women.

The report added that Turkish commanders could be criminally responsible if it is proven that these armed groups fall under Turkish command and nothing was done to prevent these crimes.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany