RIHA - Reacting to the silence of international media organisations against the targeting of journalists in northern and eastern Syria, journalist Ehmed Semîr said, "Attacks against journalists are crimes all over the world. Action must be taken as soon as possible."

 

The ongoing attacks of Turkey and the affiliated Syrian National Army (SNA) against North and East Syria have been intensified since 8 December 2024 in and around Tishreen Dam. The resistance vigil, which the people started with the call of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) against the attacks, entered its 47th day. Journalists who want to publicise the developments in the region and the people's resistance to the world public opinion are also targeted by the attacks.

 

While Egît Roj, one of the journalists following the news in the region, was targeted and murdered on 14 February, 15 journalists have been targeted by attacks and lost their lives since 2019. Egît Roj's colleague Ehmed Semîr reacted to the silence of international press organisations against Turkey's attacks on journalists.

 

Stating that the role of journalists is important in war and conflict zones, Ehmed Semîr said, "The duty of the press is to bring the truth to light. If human rights violations and war crimes are being committed somewhere, it is among the duties of journalists to announce this to the whole world. For this reason, our friends Nazım Daştan, Cihan Bilgin and Egît Roj set out for the Tishreen Dam. They set out to keep the truth in the dark. When they were not there, the Turkish press was spreading many false news. Nazım and Cihan were the first to expose the lie that Tishreen Dam was occupied. To this day, the dam has not been occupied. Our friends Cihan and Nazım have frustrated what they wanted to do with false news, which is an apparatus of the special war. Today, the dam is under the control of SDF and the people are putting up a historic resistance."

 

REACTION TO SILENCE

 

Stating that not only journalists but also politicians and artists were targeted, Ehmed Semîr continued as follows: "Today, the lives of everyone living in North and East Syria are at risk. Civilians are being bombed and massacred by Turkey while sitting in their homes. These crimes are repeated on a daily basis because the world community turns a blind eye to this. Announcing the truth is not a crime. We will do our best to reveal this truth. We will protect the honour of the journalism profession. International institutions and organisations should also fulfil their duties and organise a reaction against these attacks."

 

MA / Emrullah Acar