Frequent military threats and hostilities across northern Syria continue to wreak havoc on the region, which is home to hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) who fled other afflicted Syrian areas.
Hostilities in the region have hiked since early August 2022. Cities, towns, and villages in northern Syria witnessed dozens of attacks, with mortar shells, rockets, aircraft, and drones. Turkey has perpetrated the majority of these attacks.
In July 2022 alone, hostilities killed and injured 31 persons in Tall Tamr, Ayn Issa, Abu Rasin/Zarkan, Ayn al-Arab/Kobanî, Tall Rifaat, and more. These towns and villages were bombarded 75 times at least, with the attacks launched from areas where the Turkish military and their affiliated armed factions are stationed.
Since early 2022, hundreds of military attacks were documented along the frontlines in northern Syria. The attacks killed and injured dozens of civilians in the areas separating the territories held by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Turkish military, and armed opposition groups.
Notably, the ongoing hostilities have not deterred Turkey from forcibly returning thousands of Syrian refugees in its territories.
According to official figures issued by Syria-Turkey border crossings, mainly those at Bab al-Hawa, Bab al-Salameh, and Tal Abyad, Turkey has deported approximately 11,000 Syrian refugees since early 2022, ignoring UN statements that Syria remains unsafe.
Previous military offensives in the region had catastrophic impacts on the area and its people, displacing tens of thousands and leading to numerous human rights violations which have been extensively documented by international organizations and independent UN bodies. Considering this precedent, as well as the worsening situation, the undersigned organizations express their deep concern with the repeated threats of a new military operation in northern Syria and demand that:
UN and Security Council Member States
- Establish a ceasefire across Syria, ensure that no party shall violate the ceasefire, and prevent any prospective military offensives in northern Syria that are likely to undermine stability in the region.
- Exert pressure to end the forced returns perpetrated against Syrian refugees in Turkey, Lebanon and other countries, act to ensure the voluntary, safe, and dignified return of refugees to their original places of residence, and repudiate plans of demographic change across Syria.
Signatories:
- Adil Center for Human Rights.
- AFRIN PLATFORM
- Ajyal Development Organization
- Al Aseel Association for Development
- Al hayat organization
- Al Raja Organization for Relief and Development
- Al Saraj Charity Association
- ALAHD
- Al-Diyar Society
- Allied For Peace
- Alnawars
- Amal al-Furat Organization
- Analysis and Strategic Studies Organization(ASO)
- Aras Charity
- Areej for Development
- ASHNA for Development
- Association for Restore Hope
- Ataa Al-Baghouz Organization
- Basha’r al-Khair Organization
- Better Hope for Al-Tabqa
- Better Life Organization
- Bridges of Love
- Building Path
- Center for Defense of Liberties
- Centre for research and protection of women’s rights in Syria
- Charity Hajeen
- Community Solidarity Organaization
- CPDA – for Peace and Dialogue
- CSRA AMUDA (MUBDAA)
- Daey Alamal
- DAN for Relief and Development
- Demos
- Development Seeds Center
- Development Without Borders
- Dijla Organization for Development and Environment
- DOZ e.V.
- EMAAR ALMANSOURA
- Enlil Center
- Enmaa Alfourat Organization
- Eternity
- NGO
- European and American Solidarity Committee for Afrin – Espoir Afrin.
- Fajr
- Forerunner 4 Empowerment and Development
- Future Hands Organization
- Future Makers Team
- Future Visions of Development
- Ghaith Development Organization
- Green Trees Association
- Green Women’s Association
- Hajin Technicians Organization
- HDF humanitarian
- Hevdesti-Synergy Association for Victims
- Hevy for relief and development
- Hope Makers
- House of Citizenship Organisation
- Intensive Care Association
- IWAA
- Jasmine Association
- Jian Charitable Society
- Jiyan Foundation For Human rights
- Jsor al-Amal
- Khonaf Association
- Khutwa Association
- Kobani for Relief and Development
- Koma Ava Kirina Afrine
- Kurdisch legal Committee
- Kurdish International Communittee for Human Rights
- Lights for Development and Construction
- Manara Organization
- Mary for culcher arts
- Mitan Center for the Revival of Civil Society
- Modem Organization
- MRFS – Medical Relief for Syria
- Nabd Team
- Nawat
- Noon for development and support of women and children
- Okaz
- Peace and civil society center /PCSC
- PEACESHE_LEADERSNETWORK
- PÊL – CIVIL WAVES
- Peyam Association for Orfans Care
- Qadar Organization
- RADIANCE OF HOPE
- Raqqa is our country
- Ras al-Ayn/Serê Kaniyê Platform
- Reng for development
- RojHilat for Relief and Development
- Rose for support and empowerment
- Sara Organization to Combat Violence Against Woman
- Save the Generations
- SCSD
- Sêl Organization
- Share for Community Development
- Shawshak Association for Women
- Shelan for relife and development
- Shorouk Organization for Development
- Sighted Hands Organization
- Society for Threatened Peoples – Germany
- Sphere Organization
- Stability Support Center
- Swaedna Organization for Relief and Devlopment
- Syria Help Organization
- Syriac Cross Organization for Relief and Development
- Syrian observatory for human rights
- Syrians for Truth and Justice – STJ
- Taa marbouta
- Tel-Abyed Forum for civil society
- TEVIN Association
- The civil Cooperation Team Organization
- The Four Seasons
- The National Organization for Human Rights in Syria
- The Syrian Women’s Political Movement
- Together for Dirr Ezzor
- VDC-NSY
- Vision Organization
- Weqaya Association
- Wheat & Olive Platform
- Women for peace
- Zameen for Development and Peacebulding.
- Zirak for development (Smart Center).