Turkey Arrests Soldiers Accused of Beating Syrian Refugees

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Edwin Mora

A video purportedly showing heinous beatings and inhumane treatment of Syrian refugees by Turkish troops has prompted authorities in the country to arrest the service members.

“The Turkish authorities have arrested several soldiers over their role in a video which shows them physically and verbally abusing several young Syrian men trying to illegally cross the border into the country,” reports the Independent.

“The incident, which took place at a military outpost last week, involved four soldiers hitting and kicking the young men, shouting at them in the process,” it adds.

According to the Turkish military, Ankara has deported the four Syrian refugees involved in the incident.

Human rights groups have repeatedly criticized the Turkish military for opening fire on Syrian refugees trying to cross the border.

“The video, purportedly taken by a soldier who took part and widely shared online after being sent to a contact in Germany, has not been independently verified. However, in a statement on its website the Turkish army said it had identified the personnel involved and taken them into custody,” notes the Independent.

Last week, photos purportedly showing young Syrian men being forced to put on women’s underwear to amuse their captors—Turkish border guards—were widely disseminated online.

The U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which uses a network of ground sources, has reported that at least 163 Syrian refugees, including 15 women and 31 children, have been shot by Turkish snipers or killed in shelling, a claim that Ankara denies.

Turkey is home to an estimated three million Syrian refugees. The Syrian conflict has fueled the influx of millions of refugees into Turkey.

In May, news reports surfaced saying Turkey is planning to form a new “National Army” in northern Syria that would include factions from the rebel group Free Syrian Army (FSA).

Besides fighting against U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters and the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) in the region, the “National Army” would be charged with establishing a buffer zone or safe zone for Syrians fleeing the conflict.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has reportedly been calling for a buffer or safe zone for years.

“Once we have created a safe zone, the Syrians will be able to establish their National Army, so they can feel safe,” declared Erdogan in May.

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