The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

Residents of Malkiyyeh city carry out a mass demonstration to denounce the Turkish military operation, and “Autonomous Administration” begins the evacuation of Mabrouka camp which houses thousands of displaced people after the fall of Turkish shells on it

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored a mass demonstration in Malkiyyeh “Dirik” city in al-Hasakah countryside on Friday afternoon, in condemnation of the Turkish military operation on the east Euphrates area, and participated in the demonstration religious and civil figures of all components of the area, while the “Syrian Observatory” monitored the arrival of hundreds of displaced families from areas at the border with Turkey east of Euphrates to al-Raqqah city due to “Peace Spring” operation, the displaced people face very difficult humanitarian conditions in terms of finding a place to live in, as it is customary for displaced people to go to schools in the area, but al-Raqqah city suffers from the destruction of majority of its schools due to the military operation of SDF and the Coalition when the “Islamic State” Organization was controlling the area.

In the same context, sources informed the Syrian Observatory that a hospital in Tal Abyad had been closed and emptied of medical staff, after the fall of rocket shells launched by Turkish Forces on it  but no information about casualties so far, while “the Autonomous Administration of north and east of Syria” said in a statement that it begun the evacuation of Mabrouka camp, which is a few kilometers away of the border with Turkey and is the home to 7000 displaced people, after the fall of shells launched by the Turkish artillery on the camp.”

The Syrian Observatory obtained a copy of the statement, it says: “the Turkish government announced the invasion of areas of north and east of Syria on the 0th of October 2019, disregarding all international laws and norms, and exposing lives of civilians to abuse and danger in flagrant violation of all human rights and international humanitarian law, the displaced were not immune to dangers of this aggression, where Mabrouka camp located 12 km south of the Syrian-Turkish border was subjected to artillery shells, which posed a direct threat to the lives of more than 7000 displaced people living in the camp, just like Ayn Issa Camp, which has 13000 displaced people, 785 of whom are from families of ISIS fighters and 479 Iraqi refugees.

And in response to calls of civilians inside the camp who are mainly victims of ISIS terrorism and are now victims of the Turkish State’s terrorism, and in order to carry out the moral duty towards them and to considerations regarding the numbers of displaced people and the level of threat; the Autonomous Administration will immediately begin the evacuation of the Mabrouka Camp, and moving its residents to al-Arisha Camp south of al-Hasakah city.

As for Ayn Issa camp, discussions are taking place with the relevant authorities and organizations to find a solution or alternative location for relocation the camp, and Autonomous Administration will take all necessary measures and procedures to ensure the safety of the camp’s residents, knowing that the safety and security of these people is mainly the responsibility of the United Nations and the International Coalition against terrorism of ISIS,  where if they were late in carrying out their duties towards the camps and their displaced population; they will be at risk of extermination and death at the hands of the Turkish war machine.

We therefore call on the international community, the United Nations, human rights organizations, and international humanitarian organizations to bear their responsibilities in protecting civilians and displaced people in particular, and to pressure the Turkish government to abide by the provisions of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1994 and the additional protocols of the Geneva Conventions 1977, and the rules of customary humanitarian law, which require parties of the conflict to take all necessary measures in order to avoid situations that may lead to the displacement of civilian people, in addition to the protection provided by the provisions of the international humanitarian law for the internally displaced people.”

Lens of the Syrian Observatory monitors a mass demonstration by residents of Malkiyyeh city “Dirik” this afternoon denouncing the Turkish military operation against the east Euphrates area

Lens of the Syrian Observatory monitors a mass demonstration by residents of Malkiyyeh city "Dirik" this afternoon denouncing the Turkish military operation against the east Euphrates area

Posted by Syrian Observatory for Human Rights on Friday, October 11, 2019