Turkey carried out 47 drone attacks in 2022: RIC

“In the first half of 2022, NES (Northeast Syria) was subjected to 47 drone attacks,” the RIC said in a tweet.

Wladimir van Wilgenburg 2022/07/02 12:00

The aftermath of a Turkish drone strike on a car south of Kobani (Photo: RIC)

Syria SDF drone attacks in Syria SNA Turkey northeast Syria

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Turkey or Turkish-backed affiliated armed groups carried out 47 drone attacks in northeast Syria since Jan 2022, the Syria-based Rojava Information Centre (RIC) said on Saturday.

In the first half of 2022, NES was subjected to 47 drone attacks (in all of 2021, it was 89). These attacks wounded at least 55 & killed 16 people. Of these, at least 26 & 3, respectively, were civilians. The number is likely higher, as RIC only publishes cases it can verify. pic.twitter.com/NAbWUpOmvO
— Rojava Information Center (@RojavaIC) July 1, 2022

“In the first half of 2022, NES (Northeast Syria) was subjected to 47 drone attacks,” the RIC said in a tweet. While in 2021, Turkey and Turkey-affiliated groups carried out 89 drone attacks.

“Those attacks wounded at least 55 and killed 16 people including at least 26 (injured) and 3, (killed) respectively, civilians.”

The RIC said that the casualty number is likely higher since it can only publish cases that it can verify.

“Over 3/4 of all attacks were conducted by Turkish fixed-wing drones, such as the TB2. 11 attacks were conducted by 'suicide' drones - similar to or repurposed smaller commercial drones - which are used both by the Turkish armed forces and the Turkish-backed SNA (Syrian National Army) militias,” said the RIC.

The RIC added that the majority of the attacks took place in February and April, which were followed by the end of the battle between ISIS and the Syrian Democratic Forces for the prison in Hasakah, in addition to a Turkish military operation in Iraqi Kurdistan in April.

ISIS launched a large-scale attack on Hasakah's al-Sina'a prison, which holds 3,000 - 3,500 suspected terrorists, with an explosive-laden car on Jan. 20th. On Jan. 30th, the SDF announced the fully recapturing of the prison.

Also on June 28th, Turkish drones targeted a house in Syria's Tal Rifaat in northern Aleppo and two vehicles in a village near Derik (Malikiye) in the countryside of Hasakah province.

The increased drone attacks come amidst renewed Turkish threats to attack the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northeast Syria.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on June 27th repeated his threats that Turkey would start a new military operation "as soon as preparations on the Syrian border are completed."

Edited by NA