NORTH AND EAST SYRIA: Tel Abyad Co-President Sabri Nebo warns against ongoing looting of archaeological sites by Turkish forces and militant factions

TEL ABYAD, Syria — Deputy Co-Chair of the Tel Abyad Civil Administration Sabri Nebo has warned of illegal excavations, looting, and destruction of archaeological sites by Turkish forces and the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) — a coalition of militias, some espousing extremist views.

According to Nebo, the SNA has continue to commit cultural crimes, including the bulldozing and looting of archaeological sites around Tal Abyad, ongoing since their occupation of the area in October 2019. He decried the silence of the international community and implored world leaders to pressure Turkey to withdraw from the Syrian territory it ocuppies.

Nebo made an appeal to the international community and all concerned organizations to protect archaeological sites, which are no less important to other cultural heritages in the world. He also called on the people of the region to prevent the occupiers from stealing their cultural heritage.

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