On April 17, 2024, Amnesty International issued a report titled “Aftermath: injustice, torture, and death in detention in North-East Syria.” The report mentioned several topics related to the post-military defeat of Daesh/ISIS, which is classified as a terrorist organization by the international community.

The report examined the issue of ISIS fighters detained by the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES) and the Global Coalition, as well as the conditions of the women and children in the camps and rehabilitation centers. The report accuses the DAANES and its relevant judicial, security, and military institutions of committing violations that amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity. It submitted a set of recommendations for the DAANES, the Global Coalition, and countries that have nationals in detention centers and camps, in addition to the relevant international bodies.

While we acknowledge the importance of such reports by human rights organizations, in particular Amnesty International, we confirm that we have always been cooperative with all parties concerned with human rights.  Due to our cooperation and transparency, Amnesty International was able to produce its report despite our reservations about some of the accusations and terminology that was used and that should have been well investigated, especially since the issue of Daesh fighters in the detention centers and the families in the camps has an international dimension. Daesh is a cross-border terrorist organization, and most of the detainees are foreigners and nationals of many countries. They have participated in several battles in different regions. The DAANES alone cannot bear the repercussions of this complex file.

As for the alleged systematic torture and murder, the DAANES respects its obligations to prevent any kind of violation of its own laws, which prohibit such unlawful acts, and abides by the relevant international laws. If any cases of torture or ill-treatment happen, they are individual acts that require thorough investigation by the competent authorities of the DAANES. We hope that Amnesty International will assist us by sharing all the information and evidence, if any, that proves the involvement of members of our security forces or any other institution of the DAANES in committing these alleged violations in order to hold the perpetrators accountable. To date, we have not received any complaints from Daesh members in the camps and detention facilities regarding these alleged violations. It is worth noting that Amnesty International’s team did not visit the detention centers of Daesh in the Sini detention facility in Al-Shaddadi and the Panorama in Al-Hasakah, which are run by the Syrian Democratic Forces. They apparently relied mainly on interviews and testimonies of people who may be affiliated with Daesh or its sleeper cells that Amnesty’s team may have met outside the two detention facilities.

Regarding the issue of separating children from their mothers and transferring them to the rehabilitation centers, we affirm that the separation process serves the child’s best interest in a manner that does not conflict with Article 9 of the Geneva Convention for the Protection of the Child’s Rights. It also does not contradict Law No. 7 of 2022 issued by the DAANES pertinent to the protection of children in the DAANES areas, which is consistent with the relevant international laws.

The report mentioned the dire conditions in the detention facilities and the overcrowding of cells. We have repeatedly called on the international community to fulfil its responsibilities and support the DAANES to be able to meet the needs in the camps and detention facilities, which require huge financial resources that the DAANES cannot afford. The North-East Syria region faces political and security challenges, particularly the ongoing Turkish attacks, which undermine security and stability and obstruct safe humanitarian access to the region by other parties.

Since its establishment, the DAANES has clearly declared its compliance with and adherence to international laws and standards related to human rights and international humanitarian law. It was built on the principles of pluralism and democracy. It has always been transparent in respecting and abiding by human rights and legal principles. Accordingly, we are open to cooperating with Amnesty International regarding its proposed recommendations, which require concerted regional and international efforts. The international community and the concerned parties need to provide the necessary assistance to the DAANES due to its insufficient resources and capabilities to solve many of the problems in the camps and detention facilities. The DAANES should also be included in the international efforts and meetings that aim at finding ways to deal with the repercussions of this huge burden.

Through our partnership with the international community and the Global Coalition, we have been able to achieve a military victory over Daesh. It is now equally important to continue our cooperation to deal with the situation in the camps and detention facilities, which requires collective local, regional, and international efforts. We need to find joint mechanisms to ensure that Daesh can no longer pose a regional or international threat. We cannot claim that we have eliminated Daesh’s legacy unless we activate the legal and judicial processes to hold members of Daesh accountable and achieve justice for the victims to ensure security and political stability in the region.