Near the Syrian-Turkish border in northwest Syria, a soldier approached a child playing by a wall topped with razor wire.
Without reason, he forcefully pulled the child, struck him, then dragged him to the Turkish side where the abuse continued, leaving bruises and lasting psychological trauma.
Asharq Al-Awsat was able to document the recurring assaults on children and farmers, who did not pose any threat deserving the violence of border guards.
Recent video footage shared on social media in February highlighted the ongoing assaults on children and farmers along the border between the “Tal Al-Karama” camps in Syria’s northern Idlib countryside and Türkiye’s Hatay province.
Since Türkiye shut its southern borders to war refugees in 2016, under a deal with the EU, reports have emerged of Syrians facing gunfire and torture while trying to cross the border through smuggling routes.
Now, even those living in northwest Syria face attacks.
Displaced people living near the border wall, built by Türkiye in 2019, are sometimes targeted by Turkish border guards for no clear reason, except perhaps to intimidate, show racism, or even for amusement.
Attacks on Children and the Elderly
“I was asked for a lighter by the soldier,” recalled Abdulrahman, the boy seen in the widely-shared video.
“Then he grabbed me and started hitting. Another soldier joined in. They kept hitting me as they took me to the Turkish military post. I was held overnight,” he added.
The violence ended when a Turkish officer intervened and arranged for Abdulrahman’s return to northwest Syria the next morning.
Weeks later, Abdulrahman still bears visible bruises. He hasn’t received an apology or compensation, but he’s grateful that not all the Turkish people he interacted with mistreated him.
Abdulrahman said he won’t go near the border wall with his friends anymore.
“I'm too scared,” he said, adding that he hopes those Turkish officials who beat him get punished.
International Documentation
In April 2023, Human Rights Watch released a report documenting violations by Turkish border guards against Syrians. It noted that these violations occurred without serious legal consequences from the Turkish side.
According to the report, between May 2016 and early 2023, monitors recorded 11 incidents of Turkish border guards firing on civilians on the Syrian side, resulting in the death of at least six people and injuring six others.
Human Rights Watch urged Türkiye to put an end to impunity and stop routine violations along the Syrian border.
Last year, on March 13, a Turkish soldier shot and killed a 59-year-old Syrian farmer while he was working on his land in the village of Khirbet al-Joz in southern Idlib countryside.
Witnesses stated that the soldier fired at him and then left the scene without offering any help.
In another incident, seven-year-old Jasmine was playing near the border on Jan. 7 with her cousin when a Turkish soldier shot her twice in the leg and left foot.
“She can't play anymore,” said Khalil, Jasmine’s uncle, explaining that her left foot was affected, making it hard for her to walk properly.
Now, Jasmine avoids leaving home after being teased by other kids for her injury.
Khalil, living with his sister’s family in Atmeh town, northern Idlib, says the crowded refugee camps near the safe border area force children to play in open spaces near the border wall.
“Every year, similar incidents happen,” Khalil notes, referring to Turkish border attacks ranging from stone-throwing to gunfire or outright neglect.
“Last year, there was an incident in southern rural areas (Idlib province), and on the same day Jasmine was shot, there was another incident in the Al-Karama camp,” reminded Khalil.
Atmeh Overview
Out of 5.1 million people in northwest Syria, 3.4 million are displaced from areas controlled by Syrian government forces. Two million of them live in camps, as per UN data.
Atmeh, located in northern Idlib countryside, is home to many crowded camps formed since 2012 due to ongoing security tensions. Residents seek refuge near the Turkish border for safety, as Türkiye has intervened politically and militarily in Syria’s conflict.
Türkiye has also taken in around 3.5 million Syrian refugees, who have faced incitement and political exploitation in recent years, leading to rising tensions and racism toward Syrians among Turkish people.
Although Idlib isn’t directly administered by Türkiye like northern Aleppo countryside, Türkiye controls economic access and humanitarian aid, crucial for the 4.2 million people in need, making it a major influencer in the region’s fate.