US REPORT ON HUMAN RIGHTS IN SYRIA DOCUMENTS ‘TREND’ OF KIDNAPPINGS OF WOMEN IN AFRIN
The U.S. State Department’s 2020 Country Report on Human Rights Practices for Syria acknowledged the kidnappings and disappearances of women carried out by Turkish-backed Syrian National Army militias in Afrin, the highest-level acknowledgement of the practice by the U.S. government to date. “The COI, STJ, the Violations Documentation Center (VDC), and other monitors documented a…
US ‘deeply concerned’ by rights abuses in occupied areas
The U.S. Department of State is “deeply concerned by reports that Turkish supported opposition (TSO) groups engaged in ‘gross violations of human rights and violations of the law of armed conflict’ in northeast Syria,” according to a report from the Department of Defense Lead Inspector General for Operation Inherent Resolve covering the period between July…
UN: Turkey must investigate kidnappings, disappearances in Syria
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet has called on Turkey to investigate kidnappings, disappearances, and other human rights abuses carried out by Turkish-backed armed groups in Afrin, Ras al-Ain/Sere Kaniye, and Tel Abyad.
UN: armed groups commit war crimes of hostage-taking, torture, and rape in occupied Afrin
A report from the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Syria has found widespread evidence of torture and sexual and gender-based violence targeting civilians who have been kidnapped by Turkish-backed armed groups in occupied Afrin, and warned that many of these violations amount to war crimes.
International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances: fate of 109 women in Afrin is unknown
August 30th, 2020 marks the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances. Out of 173 women and girls who have allegedly been kidnapped by armed groups in occupied Afrin since January 2018, just 64 have been reported to have been released. The fate of 109 others is unknown.
US government report finds impunity for abuses targeting women in occupied Afrin
The latest U.S. Department of Defense Lead Inspector General report to the United States Congress on Operation Inherent Resolve found credible reports of kidnappings of women in occupied Afrin, as well as widespread impunity for these incidents and other abuses carried out by Turkish-backed armed groups.
Over 150 women reported kidnapped in Afrin since 2018 – Reports
161 women and girls whose identities are known have been reported kidnapped by Turkish-backed armed groups since the start of the Turkish invasion of Afrin, Syria, the Missing Afrin Women Project has found.