Suspected Turkish drone targets vehicle in Hasaka, casualties reported

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A suspected Turkish drone targeted a vehicle in Hasaka province, northeast Syria (Rojava) on Friday, killing and injuring a number of people, according to local media and a war monitor. 

Footage shared by Ronahi TV, a media outlet affiliated to Kurdish administration in Rojava, showed a burning vehicle near a residential area on Qamishli-Tirbespi (al-Qahtaniyah) road. The agency said three people were killed without identifying them.  

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) also reported the incident, saying it caused deaths and injuries without providing the exact number of casualties.  

The UK-based war monitor added that this was the fourth drone attack in the region in two days.

Ronahi TV and SOHR blamed Turkey for Friday's drone attack. 

Turkey often targets the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and its backbone People’s Protection Units (YPG) in Syria on the grounds that they have links with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and pose a threat to Turkish bordering areas. 

PKK is an armed group fighting for the increased rights of Kurds in Turkey. Ankara considers the group and its alleged offshoots in Syria as terrorist organizations. 

Ankara has carried out two major military operations against Kurdish forces in Syria since 2018 and has in recent months renewed threats to carry out a new offensive against them in Syria's northern towns of Manbij and Tal Rifaat. Kurdish forces have said that they have taken the threats seriously and begun making preparations. 

Turkey said on Thursday that its cross border operations will continue in Syria.