4 Asayish killed by Turkish drone in Syria’s Ain Issa

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Four members of the Internal Security Forces (Asayish) were killed in a Turkish drone strike in Ain Issa in Syria’s Raqqa governorate on Thursday morning. 

“A drone this morning targeted our forces in Ain Issa while performing their duty,” the Asayish said in a statement. 

The drone strike killed Asayish members Beşar Mihemed Elî Bozan and Cîhan Mihemed Mistefa. Moreover, two other Asayish members were heavily injured. They succumbed to their injuries later in the day.

The Asayish said the attack would not stop their mission to “protect our people.”

Later in a statement, Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Commander-in-Chief Mazloum Abdi said four Asayish were killed by the strike.

Abdi said that since July 20, Turkish drones have killed nine SDF fighters, four Asayish members, and 13 civilians.

"Drones' attacks have increased and started to target northeast Syria's community and its institutions working on the region's stability," he said.

On Sunday, Abdi called on the US to make greater efforts to stop Turkish drone attacks after three female fighters were killed in a Turkish drone strike on July 22.

Read More: SDF calls on coalition to stop Turkish drone attacks after senior female commanders killed

The July 22 Turkish drone strike killed three female SDF members, including Jian Tolhildan (Salwa), the SDF’s deputy commander.

Since May, Turkey has threatened to launch an operation against the SDF in northern Syria. 

Russia and the US, the two guarantors of the October 2019 ceasefire deal, oppose any new operation. 

Turkey recently stepped up drone attacks that have killed civilians and SDF members in northern Syria.

According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Turkey carried out 41 drone strikes this year in northern Syria that killed 31 people and injured 77 others.

On Tuesday, the SDF said two civilians, Ali Khalil Omar and Ahmad al-Khudir, were injured in a Turkish drone strike in Ain Issa. They were both 20 years old. 

SOHR said that one of them died from the injuries sustained in the strike. 

SOHR also claimed the civilian was digging a tunnel. The SDF has dug tunnels in preparation to resist Turkish incursions.

On Tuesday, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price underlined that the US is against a new Turkish offensive.

“We have made clear our specific concern that any renewed offensive of this sort, any broader offensive of this sort, could set back the significant gains that the coalition has made against Daesh (ISIS) in recent years,” he said. 

However, he did not answer the question of a reporter if the US would stop drone attacks or support a no-fly zone over northeast Syria, a key demand by SDF leaders. 

“We’re speaking to a renewed offensive into northeast Syria,” he underlined.