SDF says killed 6 Turkish soldiers in northern Syria
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Sunday announced it had killed six Turkish soldiers in northern Syria over the past three days, saying it was exercising “its right to a legitimate response” against the increased Turkish targeting of northeast Syria (Rojava) over the past week.
In the last few days, Turkish drones have hit several power stations and oil fields as well as other basic service facilities in Rojava. This follows a suicide attack against Turkey’s interior ministry in Ankara last Sunday which the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) later claimed responsibility for.
At least five Turkish soldiers were killed, and six others were injured in attacks on several Turkish bases in northern Syria on Friday, according to a statement from the SDF. At least one pro-Turkish mercenary was also killed in the attacks, in addition to five others injured.
Saturday’s attacks resulted in one Turkish soldier killed and another severely wounded, the statement added.
“Our forces affirm that they will not tolerate the attacks and assaults of the Turkish occupation and its mercenaries on our regions, and will exercise their legitimate right to respond to them, within the framework of the policy of self-defense, which is guaranteed by all international laws and legislation,” said the SDF.
Mazloum Abdi, general commander of the SDF, on Sunday afternoon said that Turkey had bombarded more than 145 locations in areas under the forces’ rule in the previous 72 hours.
The SDF on Friday said that at least 15 people, including eight civilians, were killed as a result of the recent Turkish airstrikes.
“The recent Turkish attack directly targeted the efforts and capabilities of the Autonomous Administration with aggressive political intentions to paralyze civilian life. It is a targeting of international efforts and the work of civil society organizations and civil institutions that worked to establish stability and serve the local population after the defeat of ISIS [Islamic State],” wrote Abdi in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
SDF is the main ally of the US-led global coalition against ISIS in Syria. US Department of State Spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Friday that his country continues to “support the maintenance of the current ceasefire lines” in northern Syria, calling on all sides to “enhance stability” in the country.
Riyadh Dirar, co-chair of the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC), the political wing of the SDF, told Rudaw on Friday that Ankara could launch a ground operation against them.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Wednesday that any facility linked to the PKK in Iraq and Syria would constitute “legitimate targets,” for his country. He claimed that the two perpetrators of the Ankara attack had entered Turkey from Syria. The SDF has rejected the claim.
PKK is an armed group struggling for the increased rights of Kurds in Turkey but is proscribed as a terrorist organization by Ankara.
Thousands of people across Rojava held protests against the Turkish attacks, calling on the international community to impose a no-fly zone over the Kurdish enclave.
In the last few days, Turkish drones have hit several power stations and oil fields as well as other basic service facilities in Rojava. This follows a suicide attack against Turkey’s interior ministry in Ankara last Sunday which the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) later claimed responsibility for.
At least five Turkish soldiers were killed, and six others were injured in attacks on several Turkish bases in northern Syria on Friday, according to a statement from the SDF. At least one pro-Turkish mercenary was also killed in the attacks, in addition to five others injured.
Saturday’s attacks resulted in one Turkish soldier killed and another severely wounded, the statement added.
“Our forces affirm that they will not tolerate the attacks and assaults of the Turkish occupation and its mercenaries on our regions, and will exercise their legitimate right to respond to them, within the framework of the policy of self-defense, which is guaranteed by all international laws and legislation,” said the SDF.
Mazloum Abdi, general commander of the SDF, on Sunday afternoon said that Turkey had bombarded more than 145 locations in areas under the forces’ rule in the previous 72 hours.
The SDF on Friday said that at least 15 people, including eight civilians, were killed as a result of the recent Turkish airstrikes.
“The recent Turkish attack directly targeted the efforts and capabilities of the Autonomous Administration with aggressive political intentions to paralyze civilian life. It is a targeting of international efforts and the work of civil society organizations and civil institutions that worked to establish stability and serve the local population after the defeat of ISIS [Islamic State],” wrote Abdi in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
SDF is the main ally of the US-led global coalition against ISIS in Syria. US Department of State Spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Friday that his country continues to “support the maintenance of the current ceasefire lines” in northern Syria, calling on all sides to “enhance stability” in the country.
Riyadh Dirar, co-chair of the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC), the political wing of the SDF, told Rudaw on Friday that Ankara could launch a ground operation against them.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Wednesday that any facility linked to the PKK in Iraq and Syria would constitute “legitimate targets,” for his country. He claimed that the two perpetrators of the Ankara attack had entered Turkey from Syria. The SDF has rejected the claim.
PKK is an armed group struggling for the increased rights of Kurds in Turkey but is proscribed as a terrorist organization by Ankara.
Thousands of people across Rojava held protests against the Turkish attacks, calling on the international community to impose a no-fly zone over the Kurdish enclave.