“Peace Spring” area in July 2024 | Demonstrations against Turkish authorities’ practices top the events and Turkish-backed factions react by arresting tens of protestors

Human rights violations have been escalating in areas under the control of Turkish forces and their proxy factions in Al-Hasakah and Al-Raqqah, known as “Peace Spring” areas, since they were captured in October 2019. These forces’ aim is to accomplish specific economic and political objectives through exploiting the region’s wealth, resources and people.

 

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) has monitored and tracked all developments and violations committed in “Peace Spring” areas in July 2024.

 

In July, SOHR documented ten fatalities, all combatants, in “Peace Spring” area; they are distributed as follows:

 

• A militiaman was killed by unknown gunmen.

 

• Nine militiamen were killed by “Tel Tamr Military Council Forces.”

 

Here are further details:

 

• July 12: A member of the US-sanctioned faction of “Ahrar Al-Sharqiyah” was killed in Al-Dahmaa village in the western countryside of Ras Al-Ain in “Peace Spring” area in north-western Al-Hasakah following a dispute between him and “Al-Bodaher Fakhd Al-Mosat Al-Kharouf” tribe over an issue of honour.

 

• July 17: Three members of the pro-Turkey “Al-Sultan Murad Division” were killed and five others were injured in Mesh’aeifah village in Abu Rasin countryside within “Peace Spring” area in northern Al-Hasakah countryside during an attack carried out by members of “Tel Tamr Military Council,” which operates under the banner of SDF.

 

• July 28: Four members of Turkish-backed factions were killed and others were injured after members of SDF launched a sneak attack on Arida Ajil frontline in Tel Abyad countryside north western of Al-Raqqa.

 

• July 30: Two members of the Turkish-backed factions were killed and four others were injured, as a result of targeting positions and posts of the factions in Al-Arbaeen area in Al-Hasakah countryside.

 

 

On the other hand, “Peace Spring” area experienced, in July, demonstrations by residents of Ras Al-Ain city in Al-Hasakah countryside following the racist attacks against Syrian refugees in Turkey, where the protesters cut the roads by burning tires and attacked the Turkish vehicles that arrived to disperse the protests, amid information regarding the interference of “Al-Sultan Murad” Faction to stop the clashes and disperse protesters.

 

With these escalating events, Turkish-backed factions launched a large-scale arrest campaign, which lasted for days, arresting over 51 people.

 

Here are further details:

 

• July 3: Military Police and Turkish-backed factions arrested nearly 30 people including a media activist in Tel Abyad City, where the protests were dispersed after the interference of Turkish forces and their factions.

 

• July 9: Turkish forces and their proxies arrested eight people, including gunmen affiliated with the factions and displaced people from Homs region, in Ras Al-Ain city within “Peace Spring” area and took them to the Turkish territory, on charges of lowering the Turkish flag and infringing the symbol of Turkey during the demonstrations that denounced Turkish racism towards Syrian refugees and rejected normalization between the Syrian and Turkish regimes, and their fate remains unknown until this moment.

 

• July 9: Members of a patrol of the “Military Police” arrested four people in Ras Al-Ain City north western of Al-Hasakah within “Peace Spring” area, for “criticizing the Turkish authorities after they cut internet off the city and closed border crossings with Turkey during the protests.

 

• July 10: The Military Police arrested six civilians including a minor under instructions by Turkish Intelligence, during a raid operation on their houses and work places in Tel Abyad City northern of Al-Raqqa for “criticizing the cut of internet and closure of roads by Turkey.”

 

• July 12: The Military Police arrested three people including two civilians and a member of “Ahrar Al-Sharqiyah” of the “National Army” during a raid on their houses in Ras Al-Ain City within “Peace Spring” area north western of Al-Hasakah. The three arrested people were taken to Turkish territory for “protesting against Turkey.”

 

It is worth noting that the campaign of arbitrary arrests followed warnings by Turkish authorities against participating in demonstrations rejecting the Turkish forces’ presence in the region, threatening to cut services and advantages that were provided and to impose a complete siege on the region.

 

In this context, nearly 100 members of Al-Hamza Division Faction withdrew with their full equipment from frontlines from Abo Raseen Town north western of Al-Hasakah towards their houses in Ras Al-Ain City, rejecting the racist campaigns against Syrians in Turkey during the latest period.

 

Also, the Turkish Intelligence held a meeting with dignitaries of tribes and commanders of their factions in the Turkish “Military Administration” headquarters in Ras Al-Ain City north western of Al-Hasakah within “Peace Spring” area, to warn them from going out on protests against Turkey in the area, and threatening to cut services and advantages that were provided and to impose a complete siege on the region, while the dignitaries vowed to accept the demands of the Turkish Intelligence.

 

 

Separately, owners of livestock in Ras Al-Ain area in Al-Hasakah province suffered from repression exerted by factions of the “National Army.” Reported explained that members of the factions of “Sultan Murad,” “Ahrar Al-Sharqiyah,” “Al-Hamzat” and “Jaysh Al-Islam” imposed levies on the owners of livestock in Ras Al-Ain countryside in “Peace Spring” area in north-western Al-Hasakah in return for allowing them to herd their sheep and livestock in lands that had been harvested under the pretext of “protecting areas where their livestock were herded.”

 

 

Overall, this bleak picture remains in place, with the widespread corruption and tyranny of the Turkish-backed factions without any deterrent preventing them from committing further humanitarian crimes against Syrian civilians in the “Peace Spring” areas.

 

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, therefore, renews its appeal to the international community not to abandon its responsibility and obligations and find a lasting solution to the tragedy of the region’s civilians that are plagued with systematic abuse and violations committed by lawless factions, including thefts, murders, looting, arrests and kidnappings.