Alexander McKeever

@AKMcKeever

Independent researcher

@STJ_SYRIA_ENG

@Bellingcat

@PopularFrontCO

OSINT/Syria; Afrin, NE, opposition groups. MA student

@memeac_cuny

GC. lifelong New Yorker.

Queens, NYakmckeever.comJoined March 2016

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Alexander McKeever

@AKMcKeever

Dec 27, 2019

Two months in: taking stock of Turkey's recent invasion of northeastern Syria and the drastic effects its had on local civilian life. Check out my latest article on a new website I've created...

Murder, Looting, and Displacement: Two Months into Turkey's Invasion of Eastern Syria

Dubbed “Operation Peace Spring,” Turkey’s most recent intervention into Syria has by now been going on for more than two months…

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Who did it better?

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This map is verrrrry generously shaded to give appearance of contiguity. 100% final map will appear closer to archipelago map on the right.

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Not just coming to my attention, but to the attention of everyone on Twitter - Yeni Şafak, 12.09.2013

Alexander McKeever

@AKMcKeever

15h

While I contributed to this report, the bulk of it was put together by my colleague Hiba at STJ, so big shout out to her.

While we still don't have a complete understanding of what occurred the morning of 13 Oct in Suluk, all the evidence we've collected points to Ahrar al-Sharqiyah's responsibility for the killings of Mediya Khalil 'Issa, Muhammed Bouzan, and Hevi Khalil. (22/22)

Given that the crime scene is still under the control of Turkish-backed militants, the AANES has not been able to investigate this case further. Additionally, the KRC also told us that reports that they had found the bodies in a storm drain were false. (21/22)

Locals say that Ahrar al-Sharqiyah initially prevented the burial of the three victims and left their bodies lying on the street for 2 days. Following complaints they finally buried them in an unknown location. The victims families still don't know where they are buried. (20/22)

Ahrar al-Sharqiyah fighters found Mediya while searching the hospital. Despite identifying herself as nurse, witnesses say that the militants shot and killed her on the spot. Her body was then placed outside with the other two victims. (19/22)

The third victim, the nurse Mediya Khalil 'Issa, entered the hospital seeking refuge from ongoing gunfire, presumably prior to the 8:20 am Ahrar al-Sharqiyah video. Militants entered soon after, asking those they came across whether they were Kurds or Arabs. (18/22)

Muhammed's brother had been told various accounts of the incident including that some SDF defected and turned over the ambulance, but also that Muhammed was killed by sniper fire. Given that the defection story was never mentioned in pro-TFSA media, this one is unlikely. (17/22)

As far as we are aware, this photograph itself has never actually been publicized, just this screenshot from an unknown private chat. Unlike some other cases, Muhammed's family had not been sent this photo by the militants. (16/22)

There is only one image we've come across that shows one of the victims after the crime. Muhammed's brother identified the body as his. In it one can see a pool of blood under his head implying he was shot here or close by, and part of a figure in combat attire. (15/22)

Witnesses told us they saw the bodies of “a woman in military clothing, and…a young man” (presumably Hevi Khalil and Bouzan) removed from the ambulance and placed on the street in front of the hospital, but its unclear if they were killed at the scene or elsewhere. (14/22)

Given the conflicting reports we have not been able to verify where exactly the Health Authority ambulance was intercepted, but it ended up at the Suluk hospital. The joint head of the HA told us that they had been transporting those wounded in the area. (13/22)

According to locals the hospital is located in the center of town, just down the street from the location of the 8:20 am Ahrar al-Sharqiyah video. (12/22)

According to testimonies collected from witnesses, Mediya Khalil 'Issa was executed in or outside the local Suluk hospital (known as al-Mashfa al-Ahli), while Muhammed Bouzan and Hevi Khalil were killed in their ambulance nearby. (11/22)

This image has been used in the past to portray all three, but the women shown on the left and right are in fact both Mediya Khalil 'Issa. We have not been able to find an image of Hevi Khalil. (10/22)

The third victim's name was Hevi Khalil but we have not been able to find more information on her, outside of the fact that she was an SDF commander escorting the ambulance Muhammed Bouzan was driving. (9/22)

Muhammed Bouzan, 18 years old, was originally from Kobani but resided in Tel Abyad, working at the Military Hospital. Muhammed had been assigned to work as an ambulance driver with the onset of Turkey's Operation Peace Spring. (8/22)