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Cover photo: Cicek Kobane, a member of the Kurdish Women’s Protection Units (YPJ) was captured alive by Turkish-backed Syrian militias, shown in this image grabbed from a video published on Telegram channels linked to the militias.
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The Kurdish women’s armed group in northern Syria issued an urgent plea for international help to save one of their fighters who was wounded and captured alive by Turkish-backed Syrian militias that have been accused of committing war crimes.
“On October 21 at 21:00, the gangs of the Turkish invading state attacked the village of Mishrafa in Ain al-Issa leading to a fight between our forces and the gangs. Cicek Kobane was injured in her leg and fell captive to the gangs of [Turkish President Recep Tayyip] Erdogan,” read a statement from the YPJ, the all-women branch of the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) in northeast Syria.
Video published on Telegram channels linked to the Syrian militias show a militant carrying the captured Kurdish fighter. The militants call her “pig” and say she will be taken to “slaughter.”
The YPJ called on the international community to “urgently intervene” to save Cicek Kobane.
“We call on all the women of the world and international human rights organizations to speak up against this brutality of Turkish-backed gangs,” said the force.
The video was made public at least 24 hours ago. The fate of Cicek Kobane remains unknown.
Turkey and its Syrian proxies launched Operation Peace Spring against Kurdish fighters in northern Syria on October 9. The operation has been condemned by officials and leaders around the world.
A US-brokered deal on October 17 brought in a five-day pause in operations and Moscow and Ankara subsequently reached an agreement to take control over the border.
The Kurdish forces accused Turkey of violating the ceasefire. The YPJ said that Kobane was captured after the cessation of hostilities was supposed to be in force.
There is evidence of the Syrian militias desecrating the body of another female Kurdish fighter and killing a senior female politician and human rights advocate.
American officials have said these incidents could be war crimes.
“I've seen the reports as well. We’re trying to monitor them. They are horrible and, if accurate, I assume that they are accurate, they would be war crimes, as best as I know the law of land warfare. So I think all of those needs to be followed up on. I think those responsible should be held accountable – in many cases it would be the government of Turkey should be held accountable for this because we cannot allow those things to happen,” US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said in an interview with CNN, aired on Tuesday.
There are growing calls for an internally-controlled zone along the border between Turkey and northern Syria. Germany, which presented such a proposal to NATO defence ministers this week, is ready to commit 2,500 soldiers, Spiegel reported on Friday. Germany would lead the mission and is calling European allies to join what would be an international force.
The European Parliament this week called for the United Nations to take the lead in establishing a safe corridor.
“On October 21 at 21:00, the gangs of the Turkish invading state attacked the village of Mishrafa in Ain al-Issa leading to a fight between our forces and the gangs. Cicek Kobane was injured in her leg and fell captive to the gangs of [Turkish President Recep Tayyip] Erdogan,” read a statement from the YPJ, the all-women branch of the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) in northeast Syria.
Video published on Telegram channels linked to the Syrian militias show a militant carrying the captured Kurdish fighter. The militants call her “pig” and say she will be taken to “slaughter.”
The YPJ called on the international community to “urgently intervene” to save Cicek Kobane.
“We call on all the women of the world and international human rights organizations to speak up against this brutality of Turkish-backed gangs,” said the force.
The video was made public at least 24 hours ago. The fate of Cicek Kobane remains unknown.
Turkey and its Syrian proxies launched Operation Peace Spring against Kurdish fighters in northern Syria on October 9. The operation has been condemned by officials and leaders around the world.
A US-brokered deal on October 17 brought in a five-day pause in operations and Moscow and Ankara subsequently reached an agreement to take control over the border.
The Kurdish forces accused Turkey of violating the ceasefire. The YPJ said that Kobane was captured after the cessation of hostilities was supposed to be in force.
There is evidence of the Syrian militias desecrating the body of another female Kurdish fighter and killing a senior female politician and human rights advocate.
American officials have said these incidents could be war crimes.
“I've seen the reports as well. We’re trying to monitor them. They are horrible and, if accurate, I assume that they are accurate, they would be war crimes, as best as I know the law of land warfare. So I think all of those needs to be followed up on. I think those responsible should be held accountable – in many cases it would be the government of Turkey should be held accountable for this because we cannot allow those things to happen,” US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said in an interview with CNN, aired on Tuesday.
There are growing calls for an internally-controlled zone along the border between Turkey and northern Syria. Germany, which presented such a proposal to NATO defence ministers this week, is ready to commit 2,500 soldiers, Spiegel reported on Friday. Germany would lead the mission and is calling European allies to join what would be an international force.
The European Parliament this week called for the United Nations to take the lead in establishing a safe corridor.
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