A recently published report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) argues that Türkiye has responsibility for the human rights abuses and potential war crimes committed by Turkish and proxy forces in Turkish-occupied northern Syria. The 74-page report brings attention to a variety of abuses, including abductions, sexual violence and torture, perpetrated by the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) and Military Police.
Since Türkiye began military operations in the region in 2016, it has occupied various parts of northern Syria with the purported aim of reducing Kurdish presence along the Türkiye-Syrian border. During these operations, Syrians have reportedly faced severe displacement, human rights abuses and violations of humanitarian law due to Turkish incursions. The elements of Turkish-backed forces are accused of carrying out arbitrary arrests, abductions, and unlawful detentions. Kurdish residents have often suffered the worst of these abuses.
HRW has also expressed concern around the forced return of Syrian refugees from Türkiye. With Türkiye currently hosting over 3 million Syrian refugees, the report points out the potential human rights implications of arresting, detaining and deporting these refugees, an activity observed in Türkiye since 2017. Evidence also contradicts Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s 2022 goal of returning one million Syrian refugees to their home country by establishing “safe zones” in northern Syria. According to the report, these areas are far from safe due to lawlessness and poor living conditions.
In February, a UN report corroborated HRW’s concerns, finding that Syrian refugees face severe human rights violations upon return to Syria. The HRW report further urged Türkiye to uphold its obligations under international law, emphasizing that as an occupying power, Türkiye must protect residents from violence, hold those who have committed abuses accountable and provide reparations for victims.
Earlier this year, further allegations of human rights abuses came from the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights and Syrians for Truth and Justice, both of which filed a war crimes criminal complaint against Turkish-backed militias operating in Syria’s Afrin region. Amnesty International had already accused Türkiye of war crimes in 2019 due to military operations that resulted in civilian casualties.
For legal professionals and human rights advocates, it is clear that the situation in northern Syria calls for close watching, rigorous investigation and a commitment to international law. The number and severity of human rights abuses occurring under Turkish occupation are dire, and the need for international attention and action is pressing.