Written question asked by Lord Hylton (Crossbench) on Tuesday, 22 October 2019, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 5 November 2019. It was answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Conservative) on Monday, 4 November 2019 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Syria: Military Intervention

Question: To ask Her Majesty's Government what evidence they have received about reports of torture, murder, kidnapping, ransoming of civilians, and sexual enslavement of women, by the Turkish forces and allied militias in the Afrin Canton of Syria; and what is their response to any such evidence.

Answer: We have received reports from the UN Commission of Inquiry and credible international NGOs on possible violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. In its September report, the UN Commission of Inquiry for Syria found that there were reasonable grounds to believe that members of armed groups in Afrin continued to commit the war crimes of hostage-taking, cruel treatment, torture and pillage. We continue to raise concerns with Turkey, and to call for credible investigations into alleged violations of international humanitarian law in areas under the control of armed groups supported by Turkey.

Secondary information