JINHA

ŞIRNEX – Turkish state forces wounded residents of the town of Cizre in a mortar attack on a building five days ago. Since then, they have continually bombed the house, where 24 wounded have taken refuge in the basement. As the mothers of those trapped in the house attempted to retrieve their children, telephone communication with those trapped in the house has been down since yesterday evening.

“There’s a 13-year-old girl always asking for water,” tweeted Faysal Sarıyıldız, the province’s MP from the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), reporting on the situation in the basement. “She’s always asking for water. But because of her internal bleeding, I can’t give her water.” So far, four individuals trapped in the basement, where water and medical supplies have been exhausted, have died of blood loss.

When Cizre residents first informed Turkish officials of the presence of a large group of wounded people in the building several days ago, they expected permission to send an ambulance to the area, which is under 24-hour martial law. However, Turkish state forces instead intensified bombings targeting the house. Yesterday, the upper stories of the building completely collapsed. The roof of the basement has begun to cave in under the weight.

Lawyers from Cizre applied to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) for an immediate injunction calling on Turkey to allow ambulances to reach and evacuate the wounded. However, the ECHR ruled that lawyers first had to exhaust all legal avenues within Turkey with no results before the court could issue an injunction.

Last night, the mothers of those trapped in the basement declared that if they are not allowed to access their children by 9:30 this morning, they will enter the besieged neighborhood themselves and retrieve them.

Telephone contact with the basement was completely cut last night. Mehmet Tunç, co-chair of the Cizre People’s Assembly, is among those trapped in the basement. As he was describing the situation to BBC reporter Selin Girit by telephone yesterday evening, the sound of an explosion came over the telephone line. Mehmet said, “I have to hang up.” Since then, those outside have been unable to reach those in the basement by telephone.

HDP MP Faysal Sarıyıldız confirmed that contact with those in the basement has been cut since yesterday evening.

(çk/fk/cm)