News Center- Since October 2023, the Turkish state has intensified its strikes on North and East Syria, targeting critical civilian infrastructure, putting livelihoods at risk and severing communities from electricity, medical care, and other essential services. Today, the Human Rights Watch has released a statement on the ongoing Turkish strikes on North and East Syria.

“As the world's attention remains fixed on the devastating conflict unfolding in Gaza, another crisis is intensifying under the radar in northeast Syria. There, Türkiye’s airstrikes and drone attacks on critical civilian infrastructure are putting livelihoods at risk and severing communities from electricity, medical care, and other essential services,” the statement.

In late October 2023, Human Rights Watch reported that Turkish strikes on Kurdish-held areas of northeast Syria had resulted in water and electricity disruptions for millions of people. “Back then, Turkish forces struck water and electrical power stations, oil installations, and the only operational gas plant for domestic use in all of northeast Syria.”

Turkish state intensified its strikes

In December and January, the Turkish state intensified its strikes to include medical facilities and crucial access roads used by humanitarian responders, according to the Northeast Syria (NES) NGO Forum, a coalition of international organizations operating in the area.

“Attacks which cause disproportionate damage to civilians and civilian objects are prohibited under international humanitarian law, and deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure is a war crime,” the statement said.

The Human Rights Watch called on the Turkish state to “immediately stop targeting critical civilian infrastructure, respect international humanitarian law and hold to account those responsible for serious violations. All countries need to address the plight of the region's populace even if other conflicts are dominating the headlines.”