German Foreign Minister visits Turkey

On the occasion of Annalena Baerbock’s upcoming visit to Turkey, the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) asked the German Foreign Minister to demand NATO partner Turkey to stop its internationally illegal attacks on the Kurdish people and other population groups in northern Syria.

Yesterday, in a speech at the Bundestag, Baerbock had stated that she would use her planned visit to Turkey on Friday to make it “very, very clear” that the inclusion of all population groups in Syria is important – explicitly mentioning the Kurdish people of northern Syria. Further, she emphasized that international law must apply to everyone. “Foreign Minister Baerbock must follow these words with actions during her visit to Turkey. She should also condemn the Turkish attacks on northern Syria as violations of international law and call for an end to these attacks,” stated Dr. Kamal Sido, the STP’s Middle East expert.

Turkey is attacking the Kurdish people in the north of the country with drones almost on a daily basis – and is using heavy artillery, tanks, and rocket launchers to attack the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which are at war with the so-called “Islamic State” (IS). Due to Turkey’s internationally illegal attacks, 200,000 Kurds who were recently driven out of northern Aleppo by Erdoğan’s army and his mercenaries are now forced to flee once again.

“Further, the Federal Foreign Minister must do whatever she can to put an end to the acts of revenge against members of the Alawite minority and Christians in western Syria, the destruction of local shrines, cemeteries, and sports facilities. The new ruler, Abu Mohammed al-Golani, promised the minority groups – especially the Christians and other religious minorities – that they would be safe, but his fighters, and especially those who are close to Turkey, are taking brutal action against minorities,” the human rights activist emphasized.

“I keep receiving calls and messages from Syria, and especially from western Syria, about attacks on churches and arson attacks on sports facilities because they allegedly violate the Koran and Islamic moral laws. We are taking Mrs. Baerbock by her word regarding her statement that the Kurds in Syria must be included in the political process. As long as this is not the case, we will accuse the German Federal Government and especially Mrs. Baerbock of double standards.”

Officials of the German Foreign Office have been in Damascus for several days, meeting with Islamist groups and promising a lot of money. Against this backdrop, the Society for Threatened Peoples would like to reiterate what it has been emphasizing since 2011: Islamists must not be supported with German taxpayer money. “Germany’s most important partners with regard to a democratic and peaceful future for Syria are the minority groups, the Kurds, the Christians, the Druze, the women’s associations, and the Syrian democrats. They need our solidarity and our help – not radical Islamists who are supported by Erdoğan,” the Middle East expert demanded.