URU, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 45: Henvendelse af 3. november 2021 fra Sammenslutningen af Kurdiske Foreninger i Danmark, FEY-KURD, om demonstration mod mistanke om tyrkisk brug af kemiske våben i Syrien og om det britiske parlaments drøftelse af forbuddet mod PKK

Udenrigsudvalget 2021-22
URU Alm.del Bilag 45
Offentligt

REPORT

SEPT 2021

#TurkeyUsesChemicals

Time to Put Turkish Officials on

Trial

for Their

Crimes in Kurdistan

Kurdistan National Congress (KNK)

Brussels - Belgium

URU, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 45: Henvendelse af 3. november 2021 fra Sammenslutningen af Kurdiske Foreninger i Danmark, FEY-KURD, om demonstration mod mistanke om tyrkisk brug af kemiske våben i Syrien og om det britiske parlaments drøftelse af forbuddet mod PKK

REPORT

SEPT 2021

1. Introduction

With this report we want to draw attention to the unlawful methods Turkey is using in its war

in Kurdistan. In South Kurdistan and the other parts of Kurdistan, Turkey systematically vio-

lates international conventions, such as the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development,

Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction (the Chemical

Weapons Convention or CWC)

. Especially during the increase of the Kurdish resistance and

international awareness for the Kurdish question in the 1990s, the Turkish military started to

use chemical weapons in addition to the dirty war methods it had been using for decades, e.g.

extrajudicial killings, torture, burning down of villages and forced depopulation. At that time,

several international institutions and the Kurdish public opinion made great efforts and finally

succeeded in drawing the international public`s attention to this issue. But unfortunately, the

way the international community has reacted to Turkey`s use of chemical weapons has embold-

ened Turkey to continue to systematically violate international agreements that ban the use of

chemical weapons.

In the past 30 years, dozens of Kurdish freedom fighters and civilians including women and

children were killed by chemical weapons used by the Turkish army. The Turkish state even

went so far as to try to poison the imprisoned Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan in 2007

. Due to

the immediate and strong international reaction Mr. Öcalan received medical treatment shortly

after the accusations became public. Despite all these incidents, Turkey has not stopped to use

chemical weapons in Kurdistan. It would be impossible to list all the attacks with chemical

weapons carried out by the Turkish army in Kurdistan in the course of the last decades. Ac-

cording to international media reports

, several Kurdish fighters were killed when chemical

weapons were used against them in 2009, 2013 and 2017. Turkey has increased its use of these

internationally banned weapons, especially when it occupied parts of North East Syria (Roja-

va) which had earlier been liberated from the Islamic State (IS) by the Syrian-Kurdish fighters

and the International Coalition. Chemical weapons were deployed by Turkey during the Afrin

invasion in 2018

and the occupation of Gire Spi and Serekaniye in October 2019

. The Kurd-

https://www.opcw.org/chemical-weapons-convention

https://www.smh.com.au/world/kurdish-rebel-leader-poisoned-in-jail-lawyers-20070302-8f.html

https://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/kaempfe-in-ostanatolien-tuerkei-soll-kurden-mit-chemiewaffen-getoet

et-haben-a-711506.html

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/turkey-used-chemical-weapons-in-north-syria-70h6f9rzk

https://www.newsweek.com/turkey-accused-war-crimes-suspected-white-phosphorous-chemical-weapons-use-

against-kurds-syria-1466248

May 6, 2021: Six members of the HPG guerrilla are killed when the Turkish army attacks their resistance tunnels with chemical weapons

REPORT

SEPT 2021

ish boy Mohammed Hamid Mohammed, himself a resident of Serekaniye, became known

worldwide after he had suffered severe injuries due to a Turkish air raid with white phosphor

bombs on his hometown

Despite all these verified facts and the ample evidence, the Turkish government led by Erdogan

and the country`s military have never been condemned for their crimes by international insti-

tutions and states. All of them have ignored their own laws and moral duties. This silence and

coward permission given to the Erdogan government has paved the way for Turkey`s massive

use of chemical weapons in South Kurdistan`s (Iraqi Kurdistan) regions of Metina, Zap and

Avaşîn since April 23, 2021

. According to regional news outlets and local sources, the Turkish

army has deployed chemical weapons dozens of times during its attacks on South Kurdistan.

Several members of the guerrilla and civilians have been killed or injured as a result of these

attacks. The Christian Peacemaker Teams-Iraq, an NGO based in South Kurdistan, has con-

firmed at least one of these instances based on their independent research in the regions directly

affected by Turkey`s attacks

. Based on this report, we intend to highlight the seriousness and

urgency of this matter which constitutes a crime against humanity and a war crime and leads to

the dramatic damage of the natural environment in South Kurdistan.

In this report, you will find information, pictures and videos provided by local sources that

clearly prove the use of chemical weapons by Turkey. The permission to use chemical weap-

ons given to an autocratic leader such as Erdogan entails the danger of even more inhumane

and brutal crimes being committed by him in other places in the future. Protecting humanity,

internationally recognized values and agreements is the duty of all of us, especially the inter-

national institutions and public. Even the smallest steps by these institutions to openly criticize

and condemn Erdogan for his use of chemical weapons and to remind him of his international

obligations, will directly serve to save human lives and protect international agreements.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/oct/18/un-investigates-turkey-alleged-use-of-white-phosphorus-in-syria

Video: https://sterktv1.net/1845-dosya-taybet-werxele-keliyen-sere-tunelan-18-09-2021/ (after 6:30 min)

https://www.rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/190920213

Since April 23, 2021: Turkey resorts to the massive use of chemical weapons in its attempt to occupy South Kurdistan

REPORT

SEPT 2021

2. Turkish use of Chemical Weapons in South Kurdistan (Zap, Metina and Avaşîn)

Motivated by its neo-Ottoman aspiration to occupy all of South Kurdistan and drive out the

local Kurdish population, Turkey has been carrying out ground and air operations for decades.

Since April 23, 2021, these operations have seen a dramatic escalation. In addition to the use of

thousands of soldiers and a huge arsenal of conventional weapons, the Turkish army resorted

to the use of chemical weapons almost immediately after the start of the attacks. This happened

after the Turkish army realized that it could not break the huge resistance of the HPG guerrilla.

In its monthly balance sheets, the HPG (People`s Defense Forces) have confirmed 132 inci-

dents of attacks with chemical weapons on guerrilla forces between April 23 and August 23

Dozens of more attacks have happened ever since. These attacks have directly led to the death

of more than a dozen members of the guerrilla

. The areas most heavily affected by the use of

chemical weapons are Girê Sor and Werxelê

in the Avaşîn region. Here, the guerrilla forces

are forced to defend themselves against chemical attacks almost on a daily basis. The civilian

population of South Kurdistan has also been directly affected by Turkey`s use of chemical

weapons. On September 4, the village of Hirore was reportedly attacked with chemical weap-

ons, injuring members of a local family. The Christian Peacemaker Teams-Iraq has stated, that

it believes the injuries of the family members result from chemical weapons

. Although local

media outlets have been reporting about these attacks for months and Kurdish institutions have

repeatedly called for actions by the international community to stop these crimes committed

by Turkey

, a deafening international silence has persisted until today. While reports by in-

ternational journalists are rare, not a single international institution, government or NGO has

condemned Turkey for the use of chemical weapons in South Kurdistan. The unwillingness of

the international community to address Turkey`s relentless use of chemical weapons is being

noticed very carefully by the Kurdish public and has led to strong and repeated protests by the

Kurdish civil society in Kurdistan, Europe and beyond.

https://anfenglishmobile.com/kurdistan/hpg-publishes-three-month-balance-sheet-of-war-53687;

https://anfenglishmobile.com/kurdistan/hpg-releases-monthly-balance-85-turkish-soldiers-killed-54396

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/w/turkish-chemical-weapons-attack-leaked-to-star-amid-calls-for-inde

pendent-investigations; https://anfenglishmobile.com/kurdistan/hpg-two-guerrillas-were-martyred-in-turkish-

chemical-attack-in-avashin-54734; https://anfenglishmobile.com/kurdistan/hpg-three-guerrillas-martyred-in-turk

ish-chemical-attack-in-avashin-54892

Video:

https://anfenglishmobile.com/kurdistan/footage-shows-use-of-chemical-gas-by-the-turkish-army-in-avasin-54684

https://www.rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/190920213

https://kck-info.com/statement-sept2021/

September 4, 2021: A whole family in the South Kurdish village of Hirore suffers from the aftermath of a Turkish attack with chemical weapons

REPORT

SEPT 2021

3. Turkish use of Chemical Weapons in North and East Syria (Rojava)

For many, the use of chemical weapons by Turkey does not come as a surprise. Instead, these

attacks serve as a reminder of Turkish war crimes committed in the past, the most recent one

being Turkey`s attacks on the North Syrian cities of Gire Spi and Serekaniye in October 2019.

Ever since the establishment of a system of self-administration by the Kurds and the other

peoples of North and East Syria, Turkey has been desperately trying to prevent any progress

in this regard. Turkey`s aggressive attitude towards North and East Syria is motivated by the

country`s fear that the Kurds of Syria could gain a political status based on their own will. The

initial attempts of the Erdogan government to crush the self-administration in neighboring Syr-

ia heavily relied on training, equipping and deploying Islamist mercenary forces like Al-Nusra

and IS from 2011 to 2016. When these radical Islamists were crushed by the successful resis-

tance of the Kurdish self-defense forces YPG/YPJ, Turkey resorted to sending its own military

to occupy huge swaths of land in North Syria, including al-Bab (2016), Afrin (2018) and Gire

Spi and Serekaniye (2019). Turkey`s deals with the Trump administration and the Russian

leadership ensured that it was given a green light by these international powers. The result has

been ethnic cleansing, torture, demographic change, rape and a huge environmental destruction

in the areas which remain occupied by Turkey until today. Here too, Turkey resorted to the use

of chemical weapons to achieve its goals. The use of white phosphor during a Turkish air raid

on the city of Serekaniye on October 17, 2019 led to a widespread international outcry

. Sev-

eral children were hospitalized with severe burns around their body as a result of these attacks.

The SDF (Syrian Democratic Forces), the multi-ethnic self-defense force of North and East

Syria, reacted promptly by calling for official international investigations

4. Weak International Reactions

Compared to the scale and duration of Turkey`s attacks on South Kurdistan, the international

community and media outlets have so far shown little to no interest in the grave consequences.

Apart from only very careful and few statements by the Iraqi government

, only a very small

number of countries have so far criticized Turkey for occupying territory of one of its neigh-

boring countries or condemned the Erdogan government for its use of brute force to achieve its

goal. The Egyptian government and the Arab League are among the few international voices

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/turkey-is-suspected-of-using-white-phosphorus-against-kurdish-civilians-in-

syria-jp23jmqvv

https://twitter.com/mustefabali/status/1184605697771757574

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/5/4/iraqs-foreign-ministry-summons-turkish-envoy-over-violation

October 17, 2019: Turkey bombs the North Syrian city of Serekaniye with white phosphor wounding many civilians, including Mohammed Hamid Mohammed

REPORT

SEPT 2021

that have spoken out against Turkey`s aggressions

. So far, the international media has also

largely ignored the dangerous developments in South Kurdistan. Only sporadic and isolated

reports on the Turkish occupation and the heavy use of chemical weapons have been published.

These include reports by the Jerusalem Post

, the Morning Star

and the German newspaper

Junge Welt

. While it cannot be denied that the war in Gaza and the Taliban`s rise to power

in Afghanistan deserve international attention, the silence when it comes to Turkey`s attacks

on South Kurdistan leaves many observers with the impression of deliberate disinterest in the

matter. This neglect does not only have serious consequences in the region itself as it encour-

ages Turkey to carry out ever more brutal attacks, but will also lead to serious dangers for the

international community in the future. If Turkey succeeds in occupying South Kurdistan and

huge parts of Syria, it will feel emboldened to start looking for new opportunities to increase

its power in the region and beyond. Turkey`s provocative steps in the Eastern Mediterranean,

North Africa and the Caucasus are clear implications for the dangerous path the country will

take, if it is not stopped now by the international community.

Especially international institutions, like the UN, EU and Council of Europe, the governments

of the USA and UK and international organizations responsible for the prohibiting the use of

chemical weapons have not said a single word against Turkey`s use of chemical weapons. All

the institutions and states, which are quick to use the deployment of chemical weapons by their

enemies to justify attacks on them, remain silent if these weapons are used by their allies, in

this case Turkey. The U.S., Europe, and the UN have repeatedly called any use of chemical

weapons a red line and a highly sensitive issue thus warning numerous forces. But their stance

today stands in stark contradiction to their own warnings. They do not warn the Turkish state

or actively intervene, but rather play an important role as its political supporters. This shows

clearly the hypocrisy of these institutions and states.

https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/mena/arab-league-condemns-turkey-and-iran-1.1075393

https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/what-is-turkeys-real-goal-in-northern-iraqs-kurdish-region-analysis-671162

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/w/turkish-chemical-weapons-attack-leaked-to-star-amid-calls-for-

independent-investigations

https://www.jungewelt.de/loginFailed.php?ref=/artikel/403459.t%C3%BCrkischer-expansionskrieg-wieder-

giftgas-gegen-kurden.html

February 2021: Gas masks and other euqipment used by Turkish soldiers during a comprehensive attack on the South Kurdish region of Gare

REPORT

SEPT 2021

5. Our Demands

There is an urgent need for immediate action against the Turkish state in order to prevent it

from committing even more crimes against the Kurds. Turkey is using chemical weapons, set-

ting fire to forests and oppressing the Kurdish people and the peoples of Turkey. The EU, the

U.S., the OPCW and the UN cannot cover up their current hypocrisy, lack of attitude and lack

of morals.

We therefore call on all international institutions, governments and the international public...

...to condemn Turkey for its crimes and use of chemical weapons.

...to put Turkish government and state officials on trial for their crimes against humanity and

war crimes.

...to impose sanctions on Turkey for using chemical weapons.

...to impose an arms embargo on Turkey.

We call on the international press to break their silence and start reporting on Turkey`s use of

chemical weapons.

We call on the international public and all democratic forces to show solidarity with the Kurd-

ish resistance and support the Kurds` demand for an immediate stop of Turkey`s attacks and

use of chemical weapons.

Kurdistan National Congress (KNK)

Brussels - Belgium

For more information please contact:

[email protected]

Tel. :+32.2647 3084