Turkish army shells Kobani countryside

Turkish artillery on Wednesday targeted the vicinity of Kobane city, injuring two civilians.

Wladimir van Wilgenburg 2023/07/05 20:18

Turkish artillery today shelled the countryside of Kobani (Photo: Farhad Shami/Twitter)

Syria Kobani Turkish drone strikes SDF Farhad Shami northeastern Syria

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Farhad Shami, the head of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) media center, on Wednesday tweeted that Turkish artillery and drone strikes targeted the vicinity of Kobani city.

This afternoon, a new Turkish aggression targeting the vicinity of Kobane city, using artillery and UAV shellings. On these days eight years ago, Kobane was the spearhead in the final defeat of ISIS, starting from Tal Abyad to Raqqa. pic.twitter.com/sCWonoH309
— Farhad Shami (@farhad_shami) July 5, 2023

“On these days eight years ago, Kobani was the spearhead in the final defeat of ISIS, starting from Tal Abyad to Raqqa,” he tweeted.

The local Hawar News Agency (ANHA) reported that two members of an ambulance crew were injured in the shelling.

Also, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), two civilians were injured due to shelling by the Turkish forces.

The incident took place in Newroz Square, located in the southeastern part of the city. The square is normally used to celebrate the Kurdish New Year, Newroz, in March.

The SOHR also reported that earlier today, Turkey shelled three villages in the countryside of Tal Tamr, northwest of the Hasakah province. There were no reports of casualties.

In Oct. 2022, a Turkish drone strike in Kobani killed senior YPG commander Hasan Demirtaş, also known by his nom de guerre “Koçero Batman.” According to the SOHR, Demirtaş took part in battles to expel ISIS from Kobani, Al-Raqqah, Manbij, Ain Issa and Tabqah.

Turkey has consistently conducted drone attacks on the YPG and its broader Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) coalition in northern Syria, considering them to be affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). However, the SDF has refuted any connections to the PKK.

Engaged in an armed struggle since the mid-1980s, the PKK-Turkey conflict has resulted in the casualties of tens of thousands of people from both sides.