Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal

2

Vergaderjaar 2018–2019

32623

Actuele situatie in Noord-Afrika en het
Midden-Oosten

Nr. 241

BRIEF VAN DE MINISTER VAN BUITENLANDSE ZAKEN
Aan de Voorzitter van de Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal
Den Haag, 11 oktober 2018
In het debat over non-lethal assistance op 2 oktober jl. vroeg het lid
Omtzigt of de openbare bronnen over de betrokkenheid van groepen bij
de beschieting van de wijk Sheikh Maqsood gedeeld konden worden
(Handelingen II 2018/19, nr. 7, item 26).
Het betrof de volgende bronnen:
Human Rights Watch, 12 april 2016 (https://www.hrw.org/news/2016/
04/12/syria-indiscriminate-attacks-ongoing-despite-cessation-hostilities):
– The Syrian National Coalition (SNC), a major opposition umbrella
organization, issued a statement condemning the attacks on April 5.
On April 7, the official spokesperson for Jaysh al-Islam, a militant
group, issued a statement that «during confrontations [with the
Kurdish militia], a local commander in Jaysh al-Islam used weapons
that are not authorized to be used in these types of confrontations,
which is considered a violation of the group’s internal rules, and he
was referred to the military judicial system of the army [Jaysh
al-Islam].»
The Daily Beast, 15 april 2016 (https://www.thedailybeast.com/onekurdish-neighborhood-in-the-crossfire):
– The chemical weapons allegations have gained traction after an April 7
statement by rebel faction Jaysh al-Islam saying it had disciplined one
of its local commanders for using «weapons not authorized for use in
these types of confrontations.» Jaysh al-Islam later clarified that it was
referring to «modified Grad rockets,» not chemical weapons. The
chemical weapons allegations and the mistaken claim that Jaysh
al-Islam admitted to their use have been circulated widely in Kurdish
media and were repeated to The Daily Beast by PYD officials. Rebels
have strongly and uniformly denied that they have chemical weapons
or used them in the neighborhood.

kst-32623-241
ISSN 0921 - 7371
’s-Gravenhage 2018

Tweede Kamer, vergaderjaar 2018–2019, 32623, nr. 241

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Rebels who spoke to The Daily Beast strongly denied that they were
indiscriminately bombing al-Sheikh Maqsoud. They argued instead
that they were targeting YPG frontline positions in response to YPG
attacks on civilians transiting the Castello Road.

Middle East Eye, 6 april 2016 (https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/
women-children-killed-syrian-rebel-shels-kurdish-area-aleppo-monitor584620462):
– Kurdish military sources in Syria told ANA that Islamist militant rebels
were behind the attacks but did not officially identify the group.
– Zara Salih, a member of the political committee of the Syrian Kurdish
Yekiti Party told the agency that the «al-Nusra Front and Ahrar al-Sham
want to retake this area to open and control the way towards Afrin city
north of Aleppo.» Other Kurdish officials, however, seemed to indicate
that Jaish al-Islam could be behind the attack.
Rudaw, 10 June 2016 (http://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/syria/
10062016):
– «The mortar shelling of the Kurdish Sheikh Maqsoud neighbourhood
in the northern part of Aleppo by Jabhat al-Nusra gunmen has not
ended. Terrorists are opening fire on the streets of the district from an
area of the Castello shopping center earlier held by the moderate
opposition forces,» said a representative of the reconciliation center,
based in Russia’s Hmeymim airbase in Syria, cited by Russia’s Tass
news.
– Approximately 30,000 civilians live in Sheikh Maqsoud. They have
been subjected to regular indiscriminate shelling by Islamist groups
like Nusra and Ahrar al-Sham.
Rudaw, 13 mei 2016 (http://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/syria/
13052016/):
– Islamist groups like Ahrar al-Sham and Army of Islam have been
blamed for these attacks.
Telesur, 6 april 2016 (https://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/SyrianRebels-Accused-of-Indiscriminate-Shelling-in-Aleppo-201604060013.html):
– The Observatory said that rebels including Ahrar al-Sham, an Islamist
rebel group, led the bombardment, seeking to use the territory being
bomed ″a launching pad for attacks» on government forces.
– On Tuesday, a video statement from the Army of Islam, an extremist
rebel group, said it would «bomb all positions of the Kurdish militias in
Sheikh Maqsoud» in retaliation against Kurdish forces and their allies,
who are attempting to cut off a rebel supply route with Turkey and
connect YPG-controlled territory in northern Syria.
De Minister van Buitenlandse Zaken,
S.A. Blok

Tweede Kamer, vergaderjaar 2018–2019, 32623, nr. 241

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