Following the devastation of Mishtanour medical centre, MSF calls for safeguarding of health facilities in North and East Syria

The international humanitarian organization MSF (Doctors Without Borders) has called for ensuring the protection of health facilities in North and East Syria, in response to the alleged destruction of medical facilities following heavy Turkish airstrikes on cities of Qamishlo as well as Amuda, Kobani and Tirbespi, leaving civilian deaths and injuries.

MSF confirm to Target Media Platform, the destruction of Medical Centre following the recent Turkish strikes, which Turkey is aware of reports indicating that a medical facility belonging to Doctors Without Borders in Kobani in North and East Syria was targeted.

MSF said it used to run the medical centre, but the activities were handed over to local health authorities in 2019, therefore no longer affiliated with MSF, but it urged all parties of conflict to ensure the protection of health facilities, including hospitals, clinics, warehouses, medical staff and patients.

Turkey deprives 100,000 people of medical services

Target Media Platform documented the serious material damage caused to the Meshtanour medical centre in Kobani, after it was targeted by Turkish drone strikes on Tuesday, in the time of the aggression that comes for the second time on those areas in the last 3 months of this year. It targets not just military locations but also significant facilities and civilians, violating all provisions of international law.

The Kobani Health Committee announced that the destruction of the centre, supported by MSF, deprived more than 100,000 people in the region to access medical services that were offered for free. As a result of the shelling, the committee estimates the material damages in the centre to be over $200,000.

In March 2020, the Health Committee in the Euphrates region opened the centre, in order to deal with critical and emergency health cases, it was equipped with 10 beds, oxygen devices and medicines, in addition to 8 ambulances. The ambulance system is equipped with medical personnel ready to handle various emergency cases.