Dear Sir or Madam,
Please find below our press release Turkish-controlled ISIS 2.0 military campaign in northern Syria.
Kind regards
Prof. Kariane Westrheim
Chairperson
Urgent call for international solidarity
Turkish-controlled ISIS 2.0 military campaign in northern Syria
In northern Syria, jihadist fighters from the Syrian National Army (SNA) are advancing into the Şehba region. At the same time, the Syrian al-Qaeda offshoot Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) attacks Aleppo. The troops of the Syrian regime were withdrawn almost without a fight. Both structures are orchestrated by Turkey.
Şehba has been a refuge for hundreds of thousands of Kurds (around 150.000) since the occupation of Afrin in 2018. They have to flee again. The Kurdish-majority districts of Aleppo are also surrounded. Christian minorities are affected, too.
The silence of the international community, with SNA and HTS classified as terrorist organizations, signals that the US has given the green light.
War crimes and crimes against humanity – which, as experience from the time of ISIS and in Afrin shows, are inevitable – must not be tolerated.
Anyone who wants to avoid new attacks like Brussels, Paris and Batclan must intervene and put Turkey in its place with immediate sanctions.
In the context of the migration debate, Europe should have an interest in exhausting all possibilities against Turkey in order to prevent new waves of refugees. Suspending the refugee agreement with Turkey and stopping all payments is an unavoidable sanction.
The protection of Christian minorities in particular must also be an incentive for Europe to act.
Europe defines pluralism and democracy as their main values. It must act accordingly. The Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria stands for exactly these values. It is the only democratically organized structure in a region marked by ethnic and confessional connotated as well as international conflict lines. The recognition of the regional administration seems essential in order to prevent an escalation in the region. Humanitarian aid to the DAANES areas is also essential.
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EU Turkey Civic Commission
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