Rights Watchdog Says Turkey Aggravating Deadly Cholera Outbreak Spreading Across Syria

 Turkey is exacerbating the water crisis that has given rise to the deadly cholera outbreak spreading across Syria and nearby countries, a prominent international human rights organization said on Monday.

The Syrian health ministry declared a cholera outbreak in September. By November it has already spread to 14 of Syria's governorates, with up to 24,000 suspected cases and 81 deaths, according to the World Health Organization.

"This devastating cholera outbreak will not be the last water-borne disease to impact Syrians if the country's severe water problems are not immediately addressed, particularly in the northeast," Adam Coogle, deputy middle East director at Human Rights Watch (HRW), said in a statement.

According to the HRW, the Turkish authorities failed to ensure an adequate water flow downstream into the Syrian-held portion of the Euphrates river.