Eight Turkish soldiers killed, tank destroyed in SDF retaliatory operations

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Eight Turkish soldiers were killed and one tank was destroyed in retaliatory operations by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) against Turkish forces in Gire Spi (Tel Abyad) between June 21 and July 1, the SDF said on Sunday.

“Within the framework of the legitimate right of defense, our fighters confronted the attacks of the Turkish occupation and its mercenaries, and carried out a series of retaliatory operations,” the SDF said in a statement. “As a result … eight mercenaries were killed, two thermal cameras given for surveillance, two trenches were destroyed, and two military vehicles and a tank were destroyed.”

According to the statement, the operations were carried out in retaliation against Turkey and its mercenaries carrying out a series of attacks on a number of villages in Gire Spi, the M4 road, and Ain Issa town in the same period.

With the support of Syrian proxies, Turkey has conducted three military campaigns in northern Syria in the past several years, and now controls Afrin, areas north of Aleppo, and pockets of territory in the northeast. 

Hundreds of thousands of people were displaced in Operation Peace Spring in October 2019, which saw Turkey control a stretch of land from Sari Kani (Ras al-Ain) to Gire Spi. 

Russia – the main backer of President Bashar al-Assad - has acted as guarantor of the indirect ceasefire between Turkey and the SDF since 2019. The US has also played a similar role. Both forces have conducted joint patrols with Turkish forces on the border since the Turkish invasion.