HRW: No Hope Turkish Border Guards Killing Syrian Civilians Will Face Justice

Local Editor

Human Rights Watch is investigating reports that Turkish border guards killed an entire family of Syrian refugees fleeing the war-torn country. However, as Ankara denied the accusations, HRW said it holds "no hope" that those responsible will face justice.

Up to 11 Syrian civilians, including an entire family, were shot dead as they tried to cross into Turkey at the Khirbet al-Jouz crossing over the weekend, according to various media outlets. The footage supposedly taken in the aftermath of the shooting showed a number of slain women and children.

Meanwhile, a representative of the Human Rights Watch, Gerry Simpson, confirmed that the watchdog is investigating the shocking reports.

"We still have to establish the details, but it does look like a group of Syrian asylum seekers were indeed shot at by Turkish border guards," Simpson added. "Initial interviews ... suggest that at least six people, mostly women and children, were killed in an area where the Human Rights Watch previously documented Turkish border guards shooting, killing and injuring other Syrian asylum seekers in April and May this year."

An HRW report last month accused Turkish border guards of regularly shooting and assaulting Syrian civilians trying to cross from Syria in search of asylum. Turkey, as it has in the past, once again denied shooting the civilians over the weekend, claiming that reports "do not reflect the truth."

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team