ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Thursday said that Turkish airstrikes on a camp and a prison holding thousands of the Islamic State (ISIS) families the day prior killed eight members of security forces, accusing Ankara of having planned to pave the way for the fleeing of these people through these attacks. Turkey launched an aerial offensive against Kurdish forces in Kurdistan Region’s mountainous areas and northern Syria on Sunday, hitting 89 targets. Ankara expanded the campaign to most parts of northeast Syria (Rojava) on Wednesday, mainly targeting non-military places. Farhad Shami, head of SDF’s media centre, said late Wednesday that Turkish air forces targeted the security forces who were guarding the notorious al-Hol camp, which holds over 50,000 ISIS-affiliated people, in Hasaka city. He added that six people escaped the camp during the bombardment but were later re-arrested. The SDF said in a statement on Thursday that Turkey targeted both al-Hol camp and Jerkin prison, which holds ISIS suspects and their families, in Qamishli late Wednesday, “resulting in eight of our fighters martyred while on duty.” “The attack was cunningly planned by the occupation, which aims at enabling the ISIS terrorist detainees and their families to escape the camp and giving the way for the terrorist organization to resurge,” it added. “This scheme poses a serious threat to our regions and the world at large. The silence of the international community could exacerbate that threat.” The Turkish military campaign, code-named Operation Claw-Sword, also targets the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in the Kurdistan Region. It comes a few days after a TNT-laden bomb killed six people and injured 81 others in Turkish city of Istanbul. Turkish authorities have blamed the People’s Protection Units (YPG), backbone of the US-backed SDF, and PKK but both groups have denied any responsibility. Erdogan, who on Monday signaled a ground operation against the SDF in Syria and PKK in Iraq, said on Tuesday that this campaign would take place "soon." General Commander of the SDF Mazloum Abdi told reporters late Wednesday that Turkey is practicing a new strategy in its latest offensive, but targeting the infrastructure of Rojava. “Today, the attacks intensified, mostly targeting the infrastructure of this region, such as oil fields, hospitals, schools and economical areas. We see this as a new development in Turkish attacks. This region has been bombarded for a long time but we can say they have entered a new stage in the last four days,” said Abdi. Oil revenues are the main sources of income for the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (NES). Turkey’s targeting of oil fields could worsen the economic crisis Rojava, like the rest of Syria, is suffering from. The SDF commander added that they had expected such an offensive and prepared for it, therefore, only four members of the SDF were killed during days of raids by Turkish forces. However, the commander said that at least 15 civilians were killed. Turkey has hit 4,000 targets since Sunday, 67 of which were carried out by air forces, Abdi noted. US-led global coalition against ISIS forces are positioned in some of the targeted areas. Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder warned in a statement on Wednesday that the increased frequency of Turkish airstrikes in northern Syria directly threatens US personnel in the region. Turkey claims that Kurdish forces in Rojava pose a threat to its national security and it has recently claimed that these forces have hit its bordering areas with rockets, killing several people. However, the SDF has denied any involvement in these attacks. Ankara has carried out two major military campaigns against the SDF in northern Syria since 2018, invading Kurdish cities of Afrin, Sare Kani (Ras al-Ain) and Gire Spi (Tal Abyad). The invasions have led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Kurds to other parts of Rojava.
