A new UN report accuses Turkey of conducting airstrikes against civilian infrastructure in Syria, including a medical complex and a power station, potentially violating international humanitarian law.
On 15 January, Turkish airstrikes targeted a power station in Suwaydiya (Siwedê) in Hasakah (Hesekê) Governorate, northeast Syria, destroying remaining turbines, already weakened due to conflict, and severely impacting electricity access for over a million people. The report also cites attacks on 25 December 2023, which hit a medical oxygen plant in Qamishli (Qamişlo), a medical complex in Ayn al-Arab (Kobanê) and other civilian facilities, disrupting vital services.
Human Rights Watch has also accused Turkey of committing war crimes in northeast Syria by deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure, including power stations, water facilities and medical centres. In its report released on 10 February, HRW detailed how these systematic attacks have left over a million people without electricity, and millions more without reliable access to water and healthcare, resulting in a deepening humanitarian crisis. “Turkey must cease targeting civilian infrastructure and uphold international humanitarian law,” HRW urged, calling for international intervention to address the crisis and hold those responsible accountable.
The UN report states that these airstrikes may constitute direct attacks against civilian objects or indicate a failure to take feasible precautions to minimise harm to civilians. It highlighted that some attacks involved ambulances marked with protective emblems, potentially amounting to war crimes.
The airstrikes follow heightened tensions between Turkey and the Kurdish-led self-administration in north-eastern Syria, with Turkish forces reportedly using drones to target areas in the region. Witnesses have described seeing or hearing drones before a number of airstrikes. Turkey has not publicly addressed these reports.
The UN report urges all parties to adhere to international humanitarian law and to ensure the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure in conflict zones.
