North and East Syria official Hikmat al-Habib: Turkish attacks undermine autonomy, violate international law, and impede political solution

ZALIN, Syria — Co-Chair of the Legislative Council of Gozarto (Jazira) Region, a part of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), Hikmat al-Habib unequivocally asserted that the recent Turkish attacks on North and East Syria are aimed at undermining AANES’s democratic project, are in direct violation of international laws, and serve to obstruct the path to a political resolution for the Syrian crisis.

In comments to SyriacPress, al-Habib stated that the Turkish attacks, which have targeted vital civilian infrastructure in the region, constitute a direct attack on the AANES project and have had a severe impact on the daily lives of the approximately 5 million people residing in the region.

Highlighting the disregard of Turkey for international laws, al-Habib outlined their intentions to destabilize the region, furthering their objectives, notably the controversial Milli Charter which seeks to expand Turkish territory to encompass parts of Syria, Iraq, Armenia, Bulgaria, and Greece, in accordance with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s expansionist ambitions.

Al-Habib underscored the far-reaching repercussions of the Turkish attacks on the region, particularly in the context of the protracted Syrian crisis that has persisted since 2011. These attacks have introduced a new layer of conflict, hindering the search for viable solutions, even with the existence of UN Security Council Resolution No. 2254, he said.

As the guarantors of the ceasefire agreement reached in 2019, al-Habib held the United States and Russia accountable for the escalating Turkish attacks.

Turning attention to the worsening conflict in Israel-Palestine, al-Habib made it clear that AANES remains uninvolved in such disputes, which ultimately inflict suffering on the people. He issued a call for peace and security to be extended across the entire region.

Furthermore, al-Habib urged the international community to uphold solutions in accordance with international laws, combat terrorism, liberate individuals from authoritarian regimes, and actively contribute to the creation of a Middle East free from the scourge of conflict and wars.