Tishreen Dam on Euphrates River. Source: www.geosense.com
A month-long intense clashes and recent aerial bombardment of the areas adjacent to Tishreen Dam on Euphrates River, as well as mutual accusations accompanying this conflict, vividly remind us the period before the blasting of Kakhovka Dam on Dnipro River in June 2023. Until the dam was gone, majority of observers (including our experts) did not believe that such a large water infrastructure could be destroyed in the war “because this is not in the interest of either side of the armed conflict”. However, the Kakhovka Dam collapsed and resulted in one of the most outrageous acts of ecocide in modern history. “Hydraulic warfare” as a type of military tactics has been revived during the Russian invasion into Ukraine in 2022, but the first civil society movement who vehemently opposed use of dams and rivers as weapons was the “Save The Tigris” movement focused on safeguarding rivers of Mesopotamia. Now one of the greatest rivers of Mesopotamia, Euphrates, and people populating its banks are under the grave threat from the Turkey-led assault in North-Eastern Syria. According to the UNOCHA, “…the Tishreen Dam remains non-operational since it was damaged in conflict a month ago, Clashes continue in the area, cutting off regular water and electricity access for more than 410,000 people in the cities of Menbij and Kobani.” If the dam fails, number of victims and sufferers will rise to many millions.
Here we publish a “Statement of the European Ecology Movement for Kurdistan (Tev-Eko)”:
The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, that includes the Kurdish populated areas of Rojava, has stated that the Tişrin Dam at the Euphrates River is on the verge of collapse due to the intense attacks by Turkish military and affiliated jihadist-terorist groups. The administration emphasized that the destruction of this massive water resource in its region, with a capacity of 1.9 billion cubic meters, threatens the biological life in a long strecht of the Euphrates valley that is ecologically the most diverse landscape in that region. It has called on the international community to stand in solidarity before this major destruction takes place.
For several years, the Turkish State and its affiliated jihadist groups are destroying grain silos, electrical and water infrastructures, and civilian residential areas belonging to the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria using war machinery. Attacks on food, water and electricity infrastructures create devastation that will impact future generations as well. While the Middle East is under the threat of severe drought, these attacks targeting water resources and infrastructure are not only targeting the people of the autonomous administration but all living beings in the region.
The purposeful destruction of ecological resources is a crime against humanity. These attacks constitute war crimes. By destroying resources, the right to existence of generations yet to come is being taken away. These attacks will force the region into a future less extinction, leaving it dry, lifeless, and heavily polluted by the devastation of war for generations.
At this point, it is clear that the continuation of these attacks will result in irreversible destruction. Part of that would be the likely damaging of the downstream Tabqa Dam that is several times bigger concerning height and water storage. It is even possible that the Tabqa dam could be destroyed and a resulting huge water wave would destroy human life, infrastructure as well as ecological life until Deyr-ez-Zor and Iraq.
The 27 draft principles for “Protection of the Environment in Relation to Armed Conflicts” (PERAC), adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 2022, form the fundamental framework of international law on the “Prevention of the Exploitation of the Environment in Wars and Armed Conflicts.” Based on this, we call on the United Nations (UN) and all relevant international institutions to fulfill their responsibilities and take action.
Also we also call on officials and governments in Europe: the destruction of the dam would affect a massive area and displace hundreds of thousands of people. In such a case, a new wave of migration and refugees, particularly to European countries, would be inevitable. If a new mass migration and refugee wave wants to be avoided, necessary steps must be taken immediately to stop these attacks.
In addition, there are camps and prisons in the region where thousands of ISIS terorists and several tenn thousand family members are being held under control by the autonomous administration. In the case of Tishrin dam’s destruction and resulting politically challenging conditions, control over these centers could be lost. We do not want to think of security risks that would arise in such a situation.
Given the recent developments in the Syrian civil war that led to regime changes, the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria holds a key position for the establishment of a stable and democratic Syria. Therefore, the approach to the autonomous region is a fundamental measure for building a stable future in Syria.
We would also like to call on the public sensitive to ecological issues and all democratic circles: we are once again facing attacks by Turkey and the affiliated jihadist groups, turning a water resource into a strategic weapon against society and living nature. The Autonomous Region of North and East Syria has developed over the last 13 years with a democratic, ecological, and women’s liberation perspective. Protecting this structure is our primary duty. In this sense, we call on everyone to raise their voices and show stronger reactions against the attacks.
We will continue to defend and strengthen our solidarity with the Autonomous Region of North and East Syria, where democratic and ecological consciousness is a fundamental principle.
European Ecology Movement for Kurdistan (Tev-Eko)” January 12, 2025