Foreign Ministry: The aggressive acts of the US occupation and the SDF militia in Hasakah amount to war crimes

Syria has condemned the recent crimes committed by the US occupation and the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) militia in the Syrian province of Hasakah that led to the displacement of thousands of citizens. Syria has also called for the withdrawal of the US troops from the northeast of Syria and the withdrawal of the Turkish forces from the northwest of Syria, urging the Security Council to assume its responsibilities towards preserving international peace and security and protecting civilians.

The aggressive practices of the US occupation forces and the SDF militia amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates said in a statement on Saturday.

“Over the past few days, ISIS and the SDF gangs committed massacres against civilians in Hasakah and caused massive destruction to the infrastructure there. The US air forces barbarically took part in these crimes which led to the martyrdom of innocent people, including elderly, children and women,” the ministry clarified.

 As a result of these crimes, thousands of families were forced to leave their houses to safer places in other areas under the control of the Syrian government, the ministry said, pointing out that these families have received urgent relief and humanitarian aid including shelter, food, medicine, clean water and heating devices despite the difficult circumstances Syria is experiencing in general due to the immoral coercive measures imposed by the United States and western countries on the Syrian people.

The ministry added that the SDF militia has occupied many schools in Hasakah including the Industrial High school in Ghwairan neighborhood, expelled the students and turned them to detention centers. The militia has also occupied economic, administrative and medical institutions, including hospitals and medical centers in Hasakah and the US occupation forces and the SDF criminals mercilessly destroyed many of these facilities.

The ministry clarified that the war on terrorism must not be a propaganda or lies made at international forums. The war on terrorism must be clear-cut and true stances away from double standards and political hypocrisy that serve immoral political and military purposes.

The parties that deal with the terrorists are the Americans and their tools which move according to US and Turkish orders to implement Washingtron and Ankara’s hostile policies towards the peaceful Syrian citizens, the ministry pointed out.

The ministry concluded by saying that the Syrian Arab Republic condemns the aggressive practices of the US occupation and the SDF militia in Hasakah which led to the displacement of thousands of Syrians and stresses that these acts amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, calling for the withdrawal of the US and Turkish occupation forces from the Syrian territories.

Hamda Mustafa