Turkish drone strikes checkpoint, villages shelled in northern Syria

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – A Turkish drone strike targeted the entry checkpoint to the northern Syrian city of Ain al Issa on Thursday afternoon, injuring two civilians and one member of local internal security forces.

“Turkish drones continue to bomb civilian settlements in [the] vicinity of Ain Issa, putting lives of civilians in danger,” read a statement by the official account of the US-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) after the attack.

#AinIssa - Turkish drones continue to bomb civilian settlements in vicinity of Ain Issa, putting lives of civilians in danger. The main checkpoint at the entrance of the town was hit this morning. pic.twitter.com/X0dvzDDGxy

— Syrian Democratic Forces (@SDF_Syria) January 9, 2020

Thomas McClure, a Syria-based researcher at the Rojava Information Center, told Kurdistan 24, “The Turkish invasion of North and East Syria saw 379 such strikes, per the SDF, with Turkey relying on warplanes and strike drones both to wipe out SDF fighters and to create panic and mass flight among the civilian population.”

“The SDF is not in possession of any weapons or defense systems capable of fending off such attacks, and they and the civilian population remain sitting ducks for Turkish airpower to strike whenever it chooses,” McClure added.

On Wednesday, the Turkish army also attacked villages along the countryside surrounding Ain al Issa countryside with both missiles and mortars as well as shelling villages near Tal Tamir.

Ankara launched an offensive in northern Syria on Oct. 9, leading to mass displacements and deaths of civilians.

A ceasefire deal was first reached between the US and Turkey on Oct. 17 and then another between Russia and Turkey on Oct. 22 that stopped Turkish expansion.

Despite this, Turkey continues drone strikes and shelling of positions of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Editing by John J. Catherine