Syria demands an end to crime of cutting off water to Hasaka by Turkish and US occupation forces – SANA

Syria has demanded an end to the fully-fledged war crime committed by the Turkish and US occupation forces and their mercenaries by cutting off water to a million citizens in Hasaka City and its environs for more than four months, warning that the continued act of cutting off water to the people and the threat to their lives portends a humanitarian, health and environmental disaster.

“The bitter suffering that the people in Hasaka province are enduring continues as a result of the attacks carried out by the Turkish and US regimes and their mercenaries in northeastern Syria, by cutting off water to the people of the province for more than four months, which threatens of a humanitarian, health and environmental catastrophe,” Foreign and Expatriates Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

It noted that depriving people of water and the threat to their lives is a “war crime” under all international instruments, humanitarian norms and international humanitarian law as it takes place in full view of the international community and international organizations that have turned a blind eye and ignored this crime against humanity.

The Ministry added that the Turkish aggression does not stop targeting electric power transmitters for water plants that feed the province and provide water for innocent citizens, violating the most basic human rights by cutting off water to achieve its political goals.

The statement added that despite the ongoing intensive efforts made by the Syrian state to protect its citizens and provide them with drinking water and water necessary for public hygiene, the needs there have exceeded all capabilities, as the hostile practices of the Turkish and American forces in the northern and eastern regions have exceeded all expectations.

The Foreign Ministry renewed Syria’s call on the international community to move urgently to stop this fully-fledged war crime, and to take the necessary measures to re-secure drinking water for the people of Hasaka.

The ministry warned against the catastrophic repercussions that will result from continuing to cut off water to the province, which requires international and humanitarian bodies to assume their responsibilities and intervene immediately to stop this suffering, and hold accountable everyone who participates in depriving more than a million citizens who are victims of these heinous practices of their most basic human rights, which is to secure clean water.