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December 20, 2024 – Turkey –
Kurdish journalists Nazim Daştan, aged 32, and Cîhan Bilgin, aged 29, working for Kurdish outlets including ANHA, Rojnews, and Firat News Agency, were killed near the Tishrin Dam east of Aleppo by an alleged Turkish drone strike. The two were traveling in a vehicle marked “Press” while reporting on armed clashes between Turkish-backed Syrian National Army forces and U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters when the drone attack struck their car, instantly killing both and injuring their driver, Aziz Haj Bozan.
The Dicle Firat Journalists Association, alongside the Turkish Journalists Union, strongly condemned the attack as a deliberate assault on journalists in a war zone. They insisted that Daştan and Bilgin were targeted while fulfilling their professional duties, calling for those responsible to be held to account. The International Federation of Journalists echoed this sentiment, decrying a “deliberate targeting” and demanding an independent investigation. Turkish authorities have denied involvement, yet human rights and press freedom groups continue their appeals for transparency and legal accountability.
UNESCO’s Director‑General Audrey Azoulay issued an urgent call for a transparent inquiry, in line with UN protections for journalists under Security Council Resolution 2222, affirming that journalists must be regarded as civilians even in conflict zones. Local Kurdish journalist unions also organized memorials, marking the 40-day mourning period and affirming their commitment to continue investigative work despite severe risks. They emphasized that targeting media personnel amounts to crimes against humanity and underscored their determination to maintain press coverage in defiance of intimidation.
The incident highlights a troubling pattern: Turkey’s 2024 military campaign in northern Syria, marked by frequent drone strikes, has caused widespread civilian displacement, infrastructure destruction, and loss of life, including at least three journalists killed and numerous others injured while reporting. Experts warn that unless proper investigations are conducted and perpetrators held accountable, such actions could constitute war crimes under international law.
The deaths of Daştan and Bilgin are a stark illustration of the dangers faced by journalists working amid geopolitical conflict and act as a sobering reminder of the urgent need for international mechanisms to protect journalistic integrity and safety in conflict zones.
Reference –
2 Kurdish journalists killed in suspected Turkish drone attack in northern Syria
