Shocking Footage Shows Turkish Soldiers Torturing Syrians On Border (1…
Turkish forces are seen at Mount Barsaya in northeast of Afrin, January 28, 2018 / Khalil Ashawi / Reuters
On July 19, a video surfaced online showing Turkish soldiers brutally torturing a group of Syrians who allegedly attempted to cross the border into Turkey.
In the shocking footage, the Turkish soldiers can be seen beating the Syrians, who appear to be minors, with sticks and insulting them inside a military position. One of the soldiers even goes as far as stepping on the head of one of the victimes.
The video carries the logo of the Grey Wolves, a Turkish far-right paramilitary organization and political movement affiliated with the Nationalist Movement Party.
Reports of Turkish human rights violations along the border with Syria increased in recent years. In April, Human Rights Watch accused Turkish border guards of shooting, torturing and using excessive force against Syrians seeking to flee their war-torn country.
The rights group urged Ankara to investigate border guards, hold those responsible for “grave human rights violations, including unlawful killings” to account, and end “longstanding impunity for these abuses.”
“Turkish border guards are indiscriminately shooting at Syrian civilians on the border… as well as torturing and using excessive force against asylum seekers and migrants trying to cross,” the New York-based group said in a statement.
Later in June, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a London-based monitoring group, said in a report that Turkish border guards had killed 16 and wounded 24 others near the border since the start of the year. Many of the victims were not even trying to cross into Turkish territory when they were shot.
Despite these reports, violations continue. Earlier this week, Syrian activists said that a man from al-Hasakah countryside died a few days after being tortured by Turkish border guards for attempting to enter Turkey.
The Turkish military maintains a large presence in Syria’s western, northern and eastern regions, where it controls much of the border line.
Ankara argues that its presence in the country is necessary to counter the threat by Kurdish forces and limit illegal immigration. Nevertheless, the Syrian government and many on the side of the opposition want the Turkish military to leave.
It’s worth noting that Turkey’s economic crisis fueled hatred against refugees, especially Syrians, who are now being blamed for the country’s troubles.
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