European Syriac Union: International community must end Turkish attacks on North and East Syria

BRUSSELS — In a public statement, the European Syriac Union (ESU)recalled Sutoro (Syriac Security Forces) Martyr Brahim Bassam Mikhail who was martyred in a Turkish drone strike on Wednesday, 12 October 2022.

The ESU stated that this attack on Sutoro Forces and the Internal Security Forces (ISF) of North and East Syria is not the first of its kind and will not be the last unless the international community puts an end to Turkey’s repeated crimes in the region.

The Sutoro and ISF played a major role in fighting the Islamic State (ISIS) and have maintained the security and stability of the region despite immense challenges, read the statement. The forces of the Syriac Military Council (Mawtbo Fulḥoyo Suryoyo, MFS) and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have likewise been repeatedly targeted by the Turkish occupation in drone strikes that violate international laws and principles of human rights to destabilize Syria for its own gain, it continued.

“Turkish attacks and intentions in [North and East Syria] undermine very core principles of human rights, international norms, and humanitarian law. Turkish occupation of Syrian towns and regions have already created catastrophic results and insecure atmoshpere, with jihadist proxies wagin war for profit among each other and terrorising local populations, forcing them to leave their homes. Moreover, Turkey’s malicious plan is to create conflict among various groups of people in the region by undermining the social fabric.”

The ESU stated that, since the beginning of the Syrian crisis and the difficulties that accompanied it, the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) people and the other peoples of the region have taken great steps and launched a project to secure their rights. They sacrificed in the struggle against ISIS on behalf of the whole world, who now leaves them to suffer under Turkish bombs.

The ESU condemned the Turkish attacks on the security forces in the region and called on the guarantor powers, Russia and the US, to stop the Turkish attacks that continue to cause losses in all sectors. It pledged to continue the opposition to Turkey and support the peoples of North and East Syria.