Motorcycle bomb injures civilians fleeing conflict in Hasakah

At least five people were injured after a motorcycle bomb targeted a military vehicle in Salihiya neighborhood in Hasakah.

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – At least five people were injured after a motorcycle bomb targeted a military vehicle in Salihiya neighborhood in Hasakah.

According to a statement by the Internal Security Forces (Asayish), the blast at 11:30 a.m. Thursday caused significant damage in the area.

“The motorcycle targeted a car belonging to the People’s Protection Units (YPG) while passing through the neighborhood, causing significant damage to two civilian vehicles that were close to the location of bombing,” the Asayish said.

“As a result, all roads leading to the bombing site have been closed to block other vehicles or motorcycles that might attempt to target the city.”

Local Hawar News Agency (ANHA) reported that that the bombing injured four civilians that earlier fled border areas of Darbisiye and Serekaniye since the start of the Turkish incursion.

Sharif Khalil (38), Abdullah Faraj (30), Ismail al-Sayel (50), and Mustafa Jamil (60) were injured in the bombing, and one unnamed YPG fighter was also injured.

“It is reported that terrorist groups resort to these coward acts in order to spread fear and panic among civilians, using the fact our forces are focused on preventing the Turkish aggression and terrorist groups supporting it,” the internal security forces said.

Thousands of civilians on Wednesday fled the town of Tal Tamr to Hasakah city to escape the fighting between the Turkish-backed armed groups and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

According to the Kurdish Red Crescent, there are around 3,000 families and 11,500 people in total that fled from border towns to Hasakah city. They are spread over 60 schools and sleep in washrooms and containers. 

This includes 23 unaccompanied children and more than 5,000 children between the ages of 1 and 13, as well as 400 pregnant or breastfeeding women.

Reportedly, the local administration is building a new camp near Hasakah to host 40,000 to 50,000 displaced civilians.

The Catholic relief organization Caritas in a recent report claimed that “the security situation does not allow anyone to travel to Hasakah city,” but the group is still operating in there.

Editing by Nadia Riva