According to Information Minister Hamza al-Mustafa, the SDF and PKK have repurposed several civilian buildings in the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood as military bases, which are being used to launch attacks on the local population. This report was issued from Damascus on Jan.10 via the Minister’s official account on the X platform.
Desperate Tactics and Human Shields
As the Syrian Arab Army continues its successful operations to clear militant positions within the district, the Minister highlighted that some members of the PKK and SDF are attempting to hide within medical facilities. He noted that these desperate individuals are “using those inside as human shields” while seeking refuge in hospitals and clinics to avoid the advancing military forces.
Compliance with Humanitarian Law
Emphasizing the importance of civilian safety, Hamza al-Mustafa called for an end to the use of service infrastructure for military or propaganda purposes. He stated: “We affirm the necessity of fully protecting and safeguarding civilians, refraining from engaging service facilities, especially medical ones, in military operations or exploiting them politically and in the media, in compliance with international humanitarian law and in order to preserve the lives of innocent people”.
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