Turkish shelling targets Hasaka villages in Rojava

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Turkish forces on Thursday shelled at least four villages in northeast Syria’s (Rojava) Hasaka province without causing casualties, a conflict monitor reported.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) on Thursday said Turkish forces in the region shelled villages located between the Zirgan and Tel Tamer districts.

There are no reports of casualties or material damage.

Ankara frequently targets north and northeast Syria, killing and injuring civilians and security forces. It has conducted several military operations in the area since 2016.

It claims that the People’s Protection Units (YPG), the backbone of the SDF, is the Syrian offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) - an armed group struggling for the increased rights of Kurds in Turkey and considered a terrorist organization by Ankara.

Turkish artillery shelling in Ain Issa district on Tuesday injured at least five civilians, including four children and a woman, reported Hawar News Agency without disclosing further details. 

However, a medical source speaking to North Press Agency on Wednesday said one of the wounded children was diagnosed with Hemiplegia. The condition is caused by a brain injury that results in lacking control of one side of the body.

Attacks by Turkish armed forces in Rojava have killed at least nine children and injured dozens of others in the first four months of the year, local media said in late April. 

A suspected Turkish drone targeted an internal security forces (Asayish) base on April 4, injuring civilians and three members of the force.