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Drone strike on Kurdish ambulance by Turkey-backed forces in Syria is ‘an apparent war crime’: HRW

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A drone strike by the Turkey-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) on January 18 that hit a Kurdish Red Crescent ambulance in northern Syria is an apparent war crime, the Stockholm Center for Freedom reported, citing a statement from the Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Thursday.

The ambulance was carrying a wounded civilian from an earlier attack on protesters at Tishreen Dam, where at least six people were killed and 16 others wounded.

It was struck near the village of Huriya, about 30 kilometers from the dam, while transporting a girl injured in the earlier attack. The explosion forced the ambulance doors open and shattered its windows. The driver’s co-worker suffered a minor injury, but the girl was safely transferred to another vehicle.

Photographs of the damaged ambulance, taken on the road between Tishreen Dam and Tabqa, show its doors ajar and visible markings identifying it as a medical transport, according to HRW.

“The SNA and Turkish forces have demonstrated a clear and troubling pattern of unlawful attacks against civilians and civilian objects and even appear to be celebrating them,” Hiba Zayadin, HRW’s senior Middle East and North Africa researcher, said. “Turkey, as the SNA’s main backer, has an obligation to rein in the SNA’s abusive behavior or risk complicity in their crimes.”

The attack on the ambulance followed an earlier drone strike on protesters gathered at Tishreen Dam. Witnesses and video footage indicate that at least six people were killed and 16 others wounded in the strike, which occurred in the early afternoon. The protesters, including women, children and the elderly, had gathered to oppose ongoing Turkey-SNA attacks and the potential risk of damage to the dam.

A video published on an SNA-affiliated Telegram channel shows two small air-dropped munitions exploding in a crowd of protesters performing a traditional Kurdish dance. The footage, which was verified by researchers, carried a caption celebrating the strike.

“There was no prior warning before the bombing. The attack was extremely brutal and directly targeted the civilians twice in succession,” said Jiyan Khalil, a journalist who was filming the protest.

Tishreen Dam, a critical source of water and electricity for more than 413,000 people, has been a focal point in fighting between the Turkey-SNA coalition and the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) since December. The dam has been out of service since December 10 due to damage from clashes.

The International Committee of the Red Cross has warned that further damage could trigger a catastrophic flood, with severe humanitarian and environmental consequences.

At least four Turkey-SNA strikes in January have hit protesters near the dam, killing 20 people and injuring more than 120, according to the SDF.

Under international humanitarian law, ambulances and medical personnel are protected and must not be targeted, regardless of whether they are treating civilians or enemy combatants. Dams and similar infrastructure are also granted special protection to prevent mass civilian casualties.

The UN and human rights organizations have previously documented abuses in Turkish-controlled areas of northern Syria, including reports of unlawful detentions, torture, and attacks on civilians.

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