SÎLVA EL-ÎBRAHÎM

Manbij- Women and girls are subjected to many rights violations such as violence, torture, rape, and kidnapping in Afrin, where is occupied by the Turkish state and Turkish-backed factions. Women of Manbij, a city in northeastern Syria, call on the international community to hold the Turkish state accountable for its crimes in Afrin. Condemning the inhuman practices against women and girls in Afrin, the women say the rape of two girls by the members of Turkish-backed factions is a crime against humanity.

 ‘They commit crimes’

Wadha Al-Jassem, one of the women of Manbij, said, “In just one week, the Turkish-backed factions committed crimes against two girls, they raped two girls in Afrin. We strongly condemn these crimes. The Turkish state commits the same crimes in the countries they occupy as they violate human rights in Turkey. The Turkish state has revealed its patriarchal mentality and its misogynous policies by withdrawing from the Istanbul Convention.”

 ‘International organizations keep silent’

Noting that the only way to fight the patriarchal mentality and misogynous policies is to grow women’s struggle in Turkey, Wadha Al-Jassem said, “The Turkish state occupied Afrin, claiming that it would build ‘a safe area’. However, we see how Afrin has been turned into a hotbed of terrorism. The rape against women and girls is often reported on social media and by press outlets; however, the international human rights organizations keep silent against the rape incidents in Afrin.”

 ‘Many crimes have been committed’

 Zilan Al-Saleh, a Turkmen woman living in Manbij, also condemns rights violations in Afrin. “The Turkish state launched an operation called “Operation Olive Branch” to occupy Afrin. Olive branch symbolizes peace; however, many crimes against humanity have been committed in Afrin since it was occupied. The Turkish state is aware that women are the backbone of society and it targets women in the most terrifying way in order to completely destroy this society or take it under its control. We can say that the main reason for this silence is that the interests of the Turkish state and the international community have the same purposes. For them, political interests are always more important than humanity. The international community must hold Turkey responsible for all crimes it has committed in Afrin and all occupied areas, and must end these crimes.”

‘Violations must end’

Another woman of Manbij, Amal Abbas said, “The occupation of Afrin by Turkey and its mercenaries poses a great danger to the city and its inhabitants, particularly women and girls. The occupation of Afrin forcibly displaced thousands of people from Afrin. They now live in IDPs camps and endure the cold weather in winter and the heat of summer. The international community must immediately end rights violations in Afrin. I call on the Turkish state and its mercenaries to leave Afrin right now.”

 ‘International organizations must fulfill their duties’

Leila Al-Jumaa also condemned the crimes committed by the Turkish state and Turkish-backed factions in Afrin. Najia Haj Muhammed, a Circassian woman in Manbij, condemned the rape of two girls by the members of the Turkish-backed factions in Afrin and said, “They must be punished. If they go unpunished, women and girls will be subjected to many crimes such as kidnapping, murder, harassment and rape. Human rights organizations should determine their stance against the crimes committed in Afrin. We call on international human rights and children rights organizations to fulfill their duties. A safe environment must be built for women and children in Afrin.”