German NGOs File War Crimes Complaint Against Erdoğan Over Syrian Airstrikes

The complaint accuses Turkey of targeting civilian infrastructure in Kurdish areas, with little chance of legal action.

Two German organizations have filed a complaint against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and several officials for alleged war crimes in northeastern Syria.
The complaint focuses on over 200 airstrikes between October 2023 and January 2024, targeting civilian infrastructure, including medical centers in Kobane and Qamishli.
The attacks reportedly left hundreds of thousands without electricity and water, with significant damage to medical facilities treating thousands annually.
The legal action seeks to challenge the perception of impunity for attacks on civilian and medical sites, though previous complaints have not led to prosecutions.
The complaint is based on the principle of universal jurisdiction, allowing for prosecution of war crimes committed abroad, even without direct links to Germany.