On Tuesday, Turkish authorities detained Turkish Medical Association chief Rasit Tukel and seven other members of the association, accusing them of violating anti-terrorism laws by criticizing Turkey's attack on U.S.-backed Kurds in Syria's Afrin area. The Turkish Medical Association had warned about the humanitarian costs of the attack on the YPG-held areas near the Turkish border, leading President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to accuse the medical association of being "terrorist lovers." Prosecutors issued warrants for 11 Turkish Medical Association members in all, Turkish media says.
The doctors are not the only ones being targeted in what Reporters Without Borders calls Turkey's "witch hunt against critics." Turkish authorities said Monday they have detained up to 311 people for engaging in "terrorist propaganda" by criticizing the military operation on social media. Turkey considers the YPG militias an extension of its outlawed Kurdish rebel group the Kurdistan Workers Party. The U.S. has relied on the YPG fighters as its most effective ground force fighting the Islamic State in Syria. At least 61 civilians have been killed so far in the Turkish assault on Afrin, which started Jan. 20, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
‘National dynamics will likely be the tipping point’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Two men accused of plotting LGBTQ+ attacksSpeed Read The men were arrested alongside an unidentified minor
-
Israel arrests ex-IDF legal chief over abuse video leakSpeed Read Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi had resigned from her post last week
-
British warship repels 'largest Houthi attack to date' in the Red SeaSpeed read Western allies warn of military response to Iranian-backed Yemeni rebels if attacks on ships continue
-
Houthi rebels claim Red Sea ship attacksspeed read Iran-backed Yemeni group vows to escalate aggression towards Israel-linked vessels in revenge for Gaza war
-
Israel plans next phase of Gaza war as first hostages releasedSpeed read After four-day ceasefire 'we will not stop' until destruction of Hamas, says Israel
-
Mob storms Russian airport 'looking for Jews'Speed Read Plane from Israel surrounded by rioters chanting antisemitic slogans after landing in Russia's Dagestan region
-
Tuberville's military promotions block is upending lives, combat readiness, 3 military branch chiefs saySpeed Read
-
Ukraine's counteroffensive is making incremental gains. Does it matter in the broader war?Speed Read
-
US commissions first-ever Navy ship in a foreign portSpeed Read
-
British spy chief, Wagner video suggest Prigozhin is alive and freely 'floating around'Speed Read
