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Amounts to War Crimes.. Turkish Airstrikes Deprive Million Syrians of Water and Electricity
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Targeting Water and Electricity Infrastructure Reveals Systematic Pattern in Turkish Policy, Exceeding Military Objectives to Directly Impact Civilian Lives
A series of Turkish airstrikes targeted infrastructure in drought-stricken northeastern Syria, depriving over a million people of water and electricity access, in practices legal experts say may violate international law.
A BBC investigation documented Turkey conducting over 100 attacks between October 2019 and January 2024, targeting oil fields, gas facilities, and power stations in Kurdish autonomous administration areas in northern and eastern Syria.
The attacks exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in a region already suffering from internal armed conflict and four years of severe climate change-related drought.
The water situation severely deteriorated following attacks on electricity facilities last October, causing the main Allouk water station to cease operations since then.
BBC documented residents' water access struggles during two field visits.
The autonomous administration previously accused Turkey of seeking to "destroy our people's existence." Over a million people in Hasakah province, who relied on Allouk station, now depend on water tankers from areas 20 kilometers away.
Hundreds of tankers arrive daily, with the water authority prioritizing schools, orphanages, hospitals, and most vulnerable groups. BBC documented Hasakah residents pleading with tanker drivers for water.
Tanker driver Ahmed Al-Ahmad stated: "Water here is more precious than gold. People need more water; all they want is water." Residents admitted fighting with drivers, while one woman threatened: "If [the tanker driver] doesn't give me water, I'll puncture his truck's tires."
Yahya Ahmed, City Water Council Co-Director, warned: "Let me tell you frankly, northeastern Syria faces a humanitarian catastrophe."
Power transmission stations in Amuda, Qamishli, Darbasiyah, and the main Suwaidiyah station were bombed between October 2023 and January 2024. BBC confirmed damage through satellite imagery, witness recordings, media reports, and field visits.
The UN attributed strikes in Suwaidiyah, Amuda, and Qamishli to Turkish forces, while humanitarian organizations indicated Turkey's responsibility for the Darbasiyah attack.
Legal experts agreed with this assessment. Lawyer Aref Ibrahim said: "Turkey's attacks on power infrastructure had a devastating impact on civilians, potentially constituting a serious violation of international law."
International criminal lawyer Patrick Crocker emphasized: "Indicators of international law violation here are so strong that prosecution authorities should investigate."
Hasakah residents expressed feeling abandoned. Water Testing Department Head Othman Qaddu said: "We made many sacrifices, many died during battle, but no one comes to save us. All we ask for is drinking water."
Levant-BBC
