afrinpost
In the latest escalation of tensions between Turkey and Syria, the Turkish Border forces (Gendarmerie) have killed an elderly Syrian man and attacked eight young men at the Syrian-Turkish border.
The incident occurred less than 24 hours after the Turkish forces attacked the young men who were attempting to cross the border from Idlib province through smuggling routes. The soldiers used brutal force, including iron bars and machine guns, resulting in the death of one young man and injuries to the others.
In another tragic incident, today an elderly man named Mustafa Fayezo was killed by a sniper belonging to the Turkish Gendarmerie while working on his olive grove in the village of Khirbet Al-Jawz in western Idlib countryside. Mustafa, who had lost most of his children in the earthquake that struck Antakya in Turkey, was the sole breadwinner for his family.
The Syrian-Turkish border has witnessed an escalation of violations committed by the Turkish Gendarmerie forces against Syrians since the earthquake that hit the area on February 6th. Many Syrians attempting to cross the border through smuggling routes or living near the separating wall that Turkey established since the beginning of the Syrian war in 2011 have faced violence and brutality at the hands of Turkish soldiers.
The Turkish government has not yet commented on the recent incidents, but the Syrian government has condemned the attacks and called on Turkey to respect international law and human rights. The United Nations has also called for an immediate end to the violence and for the protection of civilians in the area.
