‘The world must see’: Kurdish fighters suffering from severe burns claim Turkish forces used white phosphorus in airstrike during ceasefire
- 5 years ago
Footage shows multiple members of the Kurdish People's Protection Unit (YPG) suffering severe burns they claim to be from munitions containing white phosphorus.
Filmed on Sunday (October 20) video shows the group in a hospital in Tal Tamir, south-east of Ras al-Ayn (Sari Kani) where they were subject to an airstrike - during a ceasefire - from Turkish forces, they alleged.
The filmer told Newsflare: "My unit got air striked [sic] yesterday, half of our unit got white phosphorus burns.
“Of the injuries, doctors came and took skin samples to send to Iraq for testing.
“But on-site doctors confirmed white phosphorus burns.”
They later said: "We were staying at our position going by the ceasefire, we didn't respond or was in any fire exchange with Turkish soldiers or the jihadists.
"The airstrike was unprovoked, we had been surrounded in Sari Kani, no ammo or nothing.
"[We were] waiting to be pulled out of Sari Kani when the airstrike hit with white phosphorous.
"The world must see."
Multiple reports have suggested that Turkish forces have been using shells that contain white phosphorus and the use of this weapon by a member of NATO against civilians is deemed a war crime.
The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) stated last week that “it was aware of the situation and is collecting information with regard to possible use of chemical weapons”.
Filmed on Sunday (October 20) video shows the group in a hospital in Tal Tamir, south-east of Ras al-Ayn (Sari Kani) where they were subject to an airstrike - during a ceasefire - from Turkish forces, they alleged.
The filmer told Newsflare: "My unit got air striked [sic] yesterday, half of our unit got white phosphorus burns.
“Of the injuries, doctors came and took skin samples to send to Iraq for testing.
“But on-site doctors confirmed white phosphorus burns.”
They later said: "We were staying at our position going by the ceasefire, we didn't respond or was in any fire exchange with Turkish soldiers or the jihadists.
"The airstrike was unprovoked, we had been surrounded in Sari Kani, no ammo or nothing.
"[We were] waiting to be pulled out of Sari Kani when the airstrike hit with white phosphorous.
"The world must see."
Multiple reports have suggested that Turkish forces have been using shells that contain white phosphorus and the use of this weapon by a member of NATO against civilians is deemed a war crime.
The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) stated last week that “it was aware of the situation and is collecting information with regard to possible use of chemical weapons”.