Politics

Damaging vital infrastructure in northeast Syria source of concern: German Syria Envoy

“Military operations reports of massive damages to vital infrastructure facilities in northeast Syria are a source of concern.”

Wladimir van Wilgenburg 2024/01/17 22:02

Kurdish Syrian firemen put out a blaze at a power station in Qamishli which was reportedly targeted by Turkish drones on January 15, 2024 (DELIL SOULEIMAN / AFP)

Syria northeast Syria SDF Turkey YPG PKK Turkish airstrikes

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Stefan Schneck, the German Envoy to Syria, expressed on Wednesday that while acknowledging Turkey's legitimate right to defend itself, there is a concern about damages to infrastructure facilities in northeast Syria during Turkish military operations.

بيان حول الأحداث في شمال شرق #سوريا: pic.twitter.com/zuz3AV00Wr
— Stefan Schneck (@GERonSyria) January 17, 2024

“In confronting terrorism, Turkey seeks to achieve the legitimate goal of defending itself against violent attacks,” he said.

“However, following military operations reports of massive damages to vital infrastructure facilities in northeast Syria are a source of concern. Such operations inflict danger to power, heating, and water resources belonging to vulnerable Syrians.”

He underlined that “International Humanitarian Law states the special obligation and protection of civil infrastructure facilities.”

Since Jan. 12 Turkey said it had dozens of targets in northern Syria and the Kurdistan Region after nine of its soldiers were killed in a clash with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the European Union, and the United States.

Turkey considers both the People's Protection Units (YPG) and its parent organization, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF, as the Syrian branch of the PKK, although the SDF and the YPG have denied links to the PKK.

Also the U.S. sees the YPG as distinct from the PKK and considers it a valuable ally in the fight against ISIS. The SDF and YPG have also denied being linked to the PKK.

According to the latest report of the Syria-based Rojava Information Centre (RIC), across four days, Turkey targeted over 50 locations across Northeast Syria, including on key electricity and oil infrastructure, as well as industrial sites, Asayish (Internal Security Forces) checkpoints, factories and civilian homes.

“2 million people are without power and water, after Turkish strikes put 7 key electricity stations out of service,” the RIC said.

On Wednesday, however, there were almost Turkish no drone or air strikes. Although there were reports of shelling in northern Aleppo and Ain Issa. Reportedly, three displaced Kurdish civilians were injured in the shelling in northern Aleppo.

In October and December, Turkey also carried out air campaigns in that heavily damaged infrastructure, including power facilities in northeast Syria.