The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has condemned the shooting of a journalist by Turkish border guards while she was covering recent protests along the Syrian-Turkish border, calling the incident a shocking assault on press freedom, Turkish Minute reported.
Journalist Nujan Mala Hassan, a correspondent for the Nûdem Media Foundation, was shot on January 20 while reporting on demonstrations opposing operations by Syrian government forces in towns long held by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The protests were taking place near the border between Qamishli in northeastern Syria and Nusaybin in Turkey.
Anger grew and tensions were high in several towns on the Turkish-Syrian border in response to the Syrian government operations in northern Syria.
Tensions eased after a ceasefire and integration plan were announced on January 30.
According to the IFJ, journalists and civilians at the protest were initially dispersed by Turkish border guards using water cannons and tear gas. The situation escalated when Turkish forces opened live fire, directly targeting protesters and members of the press.
Hassan told the IFJ that she was filming when she was shot in the abdomen, causing her to collapse in pain. She said she was then shot a second time in the leg. Hassan added that Turkish soldiers did not fire warning shots into the air but deliberately aimed at protesters, particularly those on the front lines.
A civilian who attempted to assist Hassan was also targeted by gunfire, and four other people were injured. Hassan described the incident as a clear violation of international humanitarian law, which prohibits attacks on the wounded and those providing assistance.
She received emergency aid from civilians before being taken to the Syrian Specialty Hospital, where she later lost consciousness. Hassan said the shooting was a deliberate attack on journalism and press freedom and called for accountability.
In a statement following the incident, the Nûdem Media Foundation, affiliated with communities in northern and eastern Syria, expressed full support for its correspondent and wished her a speedy recovery and a swift return to her work.
IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said the shooting was “shocking and unacceptable,” adding that the organization demands accountability for those responsible.
“We firmly stand with our colleagues in that region who work under very dangerous conditions and wish Hassan a speedy recovery,” he said.
Turkey, the main foreign backer of Syria’s transitional authorities since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, has openly supported Damascus’s push to dismantle Kurdish-led self-rule along its border. Ankara views the SDF as an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which it and its Western allies designate as a terrorist organization.
The protests on the Turkish-Syrian border also led to the arrest of dozens of people in Turkey and led to bans on demonstrations in the region.
