The Syrian Interim Government led by the moderate opposition condemned the recent attacks against Syrian refugees following the sexual abuse of a child in Türkiye’s Kayseri province, as they vowed to prevent such tragic incidents from casting a shadow on the friendship between the two nations.
In a statement, the opposition forces said they condemn all radical activities targeting the Syrian refugees who fled the crimes of the Assad regime and its collaborators.
Noting that the incidents are not acceptable, the interim government said it applauds the legal steps taken against the perpetrators by the Turkish Interior Ministry.
“We will not let these sad incidents cast a shadow on our fraternity,” the statement said.
The statement continued by calling on Syrians living in areas liberated in Türkiye-backed operations to reject all provocations which aim to sabotage the existing alliance between Türkiye and Syrian people in the areas.
“The Syrian people are aware of the fact that these incidents are supported by anti-revolution circles to damage relations between the Turkish and Syrian people,” the statement said.
The interim government also rejected the burning of the Turkish flag in northern Syria, calling on all perpetrators to stop such acts immediately.
Videos of people burning Turkish flags and bringing down the Turkish flag in some areas liberated in Turkish-backed operations in Syria circulated online on Monday.
The incidents occurred after riots broke out over the sexual abuse of a Syrian child by a Syrian man in Kayseri province.
An angry mob stormed several neighborhoods of Kayseri’s Melikgazi district early on Monday after 26-year-old I.A., identified only by his initials, was caught sexually abusing M.A., the 7-year-old daughter of his uncle, in a public restroom.
The crowd was said to be looking for the suspected abuser as they set fire to shops and stoned the homes of foreigners in the district.
Police intervened with tear gas and 14 officers and a firefighter were injured as they struggled to disperse the crowd. Sixty-seven people were detained after the attacks, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on X.
