ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Monday said that the Tishreen Dam, which has recently come under attacks by Syrian militants, is significant to the country’s infrastructure, adding that attacks on dams violate the International Human Law (IHL) and civilians must not be targeted.
“Civilian objects must not be subject to attacks or reprisals. Attacks may only be directed against military objectives. Tishreen Dam in #Aleppo governorate is part of #Syria's critical infrastructure. Dams have special protection under international humanitarian law,” said the ICRC in a vaguely-written post on X.
Tishreen Dam, located near the northern city of Manbij, has come under attacks by Turkey and the Syrian militia groups it supports, who call themselves the Syrian National Army (SNA), for weeks. Strong resistance from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) has prevented the advance of the attacking parties.
The takeover of the dam could help Ankara and the SNA to easily advance to other parts of the Kurdish-held northeast Syria (Rojava).
Rojava authorities have warned that constant attacks on the dam could lead to the collapse of the structure and a human catastrophe.
“Structures such as dams are specially protected objects under IHL. Millions of people may rely on the essential services they provide, such as water and electricity,” said the ICRC.
Tishreen Dam sits on the Euphrates River in northern Syria, upstream from scores of towns and villages as well as urban centres like Raqqa. It provides electricity to much of Rojava.
The SDF, with the help of American troops, took control of the dam from the Islamic State (ISIS) in 2015.
If Tishreen bursts, “this water will then reach Tabqa, which already has 14 million cubic meters of water… I do not think Tabqa Dam will be able to hold this water, so it could cause a disaster in Iraq… The dam is in terrible condition. The impact will not be limited to structural damage, but could cause great damage in Iraq,” Ali Demir, the manager of the dam, told Rudaw English last month.
Rojava’s environmental authority warned on Monday that a collapse of the dam would result in an “environmental disaster” that would affect hundreds of thousands and cut electricity access amid militant attacks.
Hundreds of civilians from various parts of Rojava have recently gathered at the dam to form a human shield against the attacks. However, many have been killed, and numerous others were injured as a result of the assaults.
Several Kurdish officials and a renowned comedian who participated in the demonstrations were among the latest casualties.
