Syria/Afrin: 155 Syrian Organizations Condemn the Killing of Kurdish Civilians on the Eve of Celebrating Newroz

On the eve of Newroz, corresponding to March 20, 2023, some fighters of Jaysh al-Sharqiya Faction/The Construction and Liberation Movement, affiliated with the Turkish-backed opposition Syrian National Army (SNA), killed four unarmed Kurdish civilians in Jindires city in Afrin countryside, northwestern Syria, on the backdrop of celebrating Newroz Day and lighting its bonfire; one of the most essential rituals adopted by the Kurds annually, with the participation of other peoples in Syria and throughout the region.

The signatories of this statement stand in solidarity with families of this attack’s victims, wishing the injured a speedy recovery for the wounded, and affirm that they stand alongside all the victims and survivors across Syria. The signatories also call on all the inhabitants in Afrin, both natives and the displaced, to synergize to counter human rights violations committed by SNA armed groups and urge them to reject attempts to create a rift between local communities in Syria.

It is not the first time Afrin-occupied by Turkey and its proxies SNA factions since March 2018- has witnessed crimes and human rights violations. Several independent local and international organizations and UN commissions have documented repeated and systematic patterns of human rights violations, such as murder, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, ill-treatment, torture, looting, and property seizure, in addition to forcing the Kurd inhabitants to leave their houses, obstructing the return of the native people and practices of Turkification and demographic changes.

It is worth mentioning that this crime took place at a time when Jindires city, among other areas, has yet to recover from the impact of the destroying earthquake in February 2023, which claimed the lives of hundreds of residents. Around 1,100 people died in Jindires alone due to the earthquake. Thousands of buildings were damaged, leaving at least two thousand families homeless, while several armed groups were politicizing, diverting assistance, and denying access to populations in need.

Following the crime of murder, massive public demonstrations took place in Jindires and other areas in Afrin. Protestors denounced the de-facto authorities and demanded the ousting of the SNA’s factions from the region and providing international protection for the civilians to put an end to the violations committed by those factions. The signatory organizations declare complete support for these demands and call on:

• The United Nations:

1. To take all necessary measures to protect the civilians in Afrin and across Syria, as well as pressure Turkey as an occupying power to assume its legal responsibilities in ensuring public order and safety and maintaining law and order;
2. To pressure the Turkish government to stop the demographic changes in Afrin, Ras al-Ayn/Serê Kaniyê, and other regions, commit to the provisions of the 1907 Hague Agreement and hand over the administration of those areas to their Syrian indigenous people;
3. To take adequate measures to stop the expansion of the terrorist-designated Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)/formerly al-Nusra Front in Afrin and other northern Syria regions. The terrorist-designated organization took this crime as a pretext to advance in Jindires and its countryside and take control of the SNA’s headquarters in Jinderis.

• The United States government and the European Union:

to operationalize the sanctions against entities and commanders of the armed Syrian factions involved in committing human rights violations and extend the sanctions to include the rest groups and individuals responsible for the violations in northern Syria, including Turkish officials who effectively run those areas.

• To War Crimes Units in the countries, their enactments allow trials under the principle of universal jurisdiction, the International Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM), and the competent international organizations:

Intensify their work on documenting all violations by all parties, particularly those in Afrin and throughout northern Syria targeting specific racist, religious, or ethnic groups.

The International Independent Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic:

To release a briefing on the human rights situation in northern Syria, particularly in the areas under the effective control of Turkey, including Afrin, Ras al-Ayn/Serê Kaniyê, Tall Abyad, A’zaz, and al-Bab.

In addition, the organizations signing this statement call on the National Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces and the Syrian Interim Government (SIG), as well as all political bodies under its umbrella, to assume their legal, political, and moral responsibilities toward all the crimes committed in Afrin and call them to intervene to halt the violations of its armed groups and support the demands of the local population.

Organizations and Associations Signing the Statement:

1. Act for Afrin
2. Adel Center for Human Rights
3. Afrin Media Center
4. AFRIN PLATFORM
5. Afrinpost Network
6. AINSHAMS Organization
7. Al Amal for Coexitennce Organization
8. Al RIYF Association
9. ALAHD Organization
10. aldiyar Association
11. Alghaithdev Organization
12. Al-Hasakah Organization for Relief and Deve
13. Al-Khaboor Association
14. Amal Afrin Association
15. Analysis and Strategic Study Organization
16. Anwar al-Ghad
17. Arak East Organization
18. Aras charity
19. Areej Organisation
20. Awda for Development
21. Azdeihar Organization
22. Better Life Organization
23. Better Tomorrow Organization
24. Bridges of Love
25. Bridges of peace for development
26. Bukra Ahla Association for Relief and Development
27. Caesar Families Association
28. Center for Research and Protection Women’s right in Syria
29. Cloud
30. Community Solidarity Organaization
31. Country Raqqa Organization
32. S.C
33. DAN for Relief and Development
34. Dari Organization
35. DAWLATY
36. Deirna for Development
37. Demokratik women network
38. DemoS
39. Dijla Organization for Development and Environment
40. Droep Foundation
41. Ebdaa Organization for Development
42. Edraak Organization for Development and Peace
43. Ella Organization For Development and Peacebuilding
44. Engineering for Services and development
45. Enma al Jazera Organization
46. Enmaa Organization
47. Ensaf for Development
48. Euphrates NGO
49. Ezdina Organization
50. Families For Freedom
51. Fariq Snnae al-Mustaqbal
52. For Them Organisation
53. Forerunner 4 Development & Empowerment & Education
54. Friends Charity Association
55. General Union of Kurdish Writers and Journalists in Syria
56. Green Women’s Association
57. GWN Organization
58. Hajin Technicians Organization
59. Haneen Alfurat
60. Hdf Humanitarian
61. Hevy for Relief and Development
62. Hope Makers Organization
63. House of Citizenship Organization
64. Human Hope Team
65. Human Rights Committee in Syria – MAF
66. Human Rights Organization in Jazeerra
67. Human Rights Organization in Syria – Maf
68. Human rights organizations Afrin- syria
69. Humanitarian and Development Cooperation
70. Inmaa al-Furat FDO
71. Inshaa Masar Organization
72. Intensive Care Association
73. International Organization for Development and Human Rights
74. Iwaa Organization
75. Jasmine Association
76. Jinar for Aid and Development
77. Jiyan Charity Association
78. Jsor al-amal
79. Khutwa Association
80. Kurdischer Rat in Deutschland e.V
81. Kurdish Committee for Human Rights (RASSED)
82. Kurdish Cultural Association in Geneva
83. Kurdish Feminist Voices
84. Kurdish National Congress of North America
85. Kurdish Organization for Human Rights in Syria (DAD)
86. Kurdish Swiss Alliance
87. Laila Initiative
88. Lamsatalkhierfor Relif and Development
89. Lelun Association for Victims
90. Les Kurdes Rojava en France
91. Lights for Development and Construction
92. Maakom for Devolepment and Peace
93. Mahabad Organisation for Human Rights MOHR
94. Manara Organization
95. Mary Association for Culture, Arts and Environment
96. Muwatana
97. Nawras Organization for development
98. NES Mine Action center
99. Nujin Society for Community
100. Okaz
101. Oxygen Shabab
102. Peace she Leaders Network
103. Peace Sounds
104. PÊL- Civil Waves
105. Platform of Wheat and Olive
106. Platform Syrische Koerden in Nederland
107. Purity
108. Qadar Organization
109. Raja Organization
110. Ras Al-Ain Platform
111. Reng
112. Rewangeh Organization
113. RFD Organization
114. Rights Defense Initiative
115. Roj Kar for Relief and Development
116. Roj Mine Control Organization
117. Rojava Organization for Relief and Development
118. Rose
119. Sahem Organization for Cooperation and Development
120. SALAM Organization
121. Sawaeed Organization for Development
122. SCSD
123. Sêl Organization for Development
124. Shar for development
125. Shawshaka Association for Women
126. Silav Organization for Civil Activities
127. SMART Center
128. SOZ Association
129. Sphere for Studies and Development
130. Swaedna Organization for Relief and Development
131. Synergy Association for Victims
132. Syria Center for Development
133. Syria Justice and Accountability Center
134. Syrian Cancer Society
135. Syrian Center For Media and Freedom of Expression
136. Syrian Kurdish Civil Forces Gathering
137. Syrians for Truth and Justice
138. Tara organization
139. TASTAKEL Women Organization
140. Tel Abyad forum for civil society
141. The civil Cooperation Team Organization
142. The Kurdish Center for Studies
143. Together for Algarnya organization
144. Together for Deir Ezzor
145. Train of Hope Dortmund e. V.
146. Vision
147. We Want our Detainees and Kidnapped Campaign
148. Weqaya Association
149. Wessal Development Organization
150. Yasna organization for Zoroastrian religion and philosophy
151. Youth for Change
152. Zakon Organization
153. Zameen Organization
154. Zirak For Development
155. Zurna Development Organization