While trying to cross from the city of Hasekê in Northern and Eastern Syria to the Kızıltepe district of Mardin on October 5th, 4 refugees who were forced to run into a mine field by the gendermerie lost their lives as a result of the exploding mines. While their bodies in pieces were kept in the morgue, none of them were able to be identified. It was learned that the families of the refugees who died in the blast will be applying to Human's Rights Association because they can not claim the bodies of their relatives due to being on the other side of the border.

 

Due to the approach of Turkey towards North and East Syria administration, those who died in the blasts are being buried in the cemetery of the nameless. It is expected that if the bodies can not be claimed by October 20, they will also be buried at the cemetery of the nameless. 

 

BACKGROUND

 

On October 5, 6 out of 10 refugees who wanted to cross the border from Hasekê to Kızıltepe were caught by the gendarmerie, 1 of them went missing being able to cross the border and 3 of them were stuck between the wall and the fences at the border area. The gendermerie battered one refugee to make him find the other 3 and forced them to run into a mined field, firing at their feet and 4 refugees lost their lives in that mined field. The incident was revealed when one of the surviving refugees were tried to be deported and an investigation was started.

 

MA  /  Ahmet Kanbal