Suspected Turkish drone kills child in Rojava

Layal Shakir

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region -  A suspected Turkish drone struck several areas in northeast Syria (Rojava) late Wednesday, a conflict monitor said, reportedly killing one child and injuring others.

The drone targeted areas in the eastern al-Darbasiyah sub-district, northwest of Hasaka province, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).

The attack hit a car near al-Khazrah village, located between Amuda and al-Darbasiyah sub-districts, causing casualties, it added.

SOHR did not disclose the exact number of those impacted by the offensive, but Hawar News Agency (ANHA) said an 11-year-old child was killed, while three others were injured.

Hasaka has previously been targeted by Turkey as it often launches attacks in the region, killing and injuring civilians, as well as security forces.

The recent offensive came hours after a suspected Turkish attack targeted Hasaka’s Zirgan district, according to both SOHR and ANHA.

Alleged Turkish artillery shelled several villages in northern Hasaka, causing material damage on Monday.

Suspected Turkish drones also targeted a vehicle transporting three members of the Kurdish Women’s Protection Units (YPJ) in al-Darbasiyah on Thursday, killing one person.

Rojava saw 47 Turkish ground attacks and incursion attempts, as well as 89 drone offensives, over the past year, killing and injuring hundreds, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said in its annual report in January.

Turkey has conducted three military operations in northern Syria since 2016, two of them against Kurdish fighters who Ankara considers a branch of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and a threat to its national security. It has previously threatened to launch a new offensive in
Rojava.