Security

Turkish airstrikes target areas in northeast Syria, Kurdistan Region

The Turkish Defense Ministry confirmed that they conducted several airstrikes in the Kurdistan Region and northeast Syria.

Wladimir van Wilgenburg 2024/01/13 04:07

Two Turkish fighter jets are on display. (Photo: Anadolu Agency)

Kurdistan Turkish Army PKK Syria northeast Syria Turkish Defense Ministry

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - On Saturday, the Turkish Defense Ministry confirmed that they conducted airstrikes in the Kurdistan Region and northeast Syria, after Turkish soldiers were killed in the Kurdistan Region. The local autonomous administration in northeast Syria also verified that the strikes targeted local infrastructure.

The Turkish Defense Ministry claimed that they "destroyed" 29 PKK targets in the Kurdistan Region and northeast Syria.

This action came reportedly in response to an attack by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) on Friday, which resulted initially in the death of five Turkish soldiers. Later on at midnight, the Turkish Defense Ministry revised the death toll to 9 soldiers.

Additionally, Turkish state media reported that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan would preside over a security meeting in Istanbul on Saturday in light of the recent PKK attacks on Turkish bases in the Kurdistan Region.

Turkey have regularly accused both the People's Protection Units (YPG) and its parent organization, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), of being offshoots of the PKK. Both have denied links with the PKK.

The PKK is listed as a terrorist group by the US, Turkey, and the EU, among other countries.

The Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) issued a statement, confirmed that Turkish airstrikes had targeted "vital facilities, services, and infrastructure" in the northeast Syria, including Tirbespi, Rmelan, Derik, and Jal Agha, with the strikes occurring after midnight.

The administration underlined the "necessity of stopping this (Turkish) aggression and systematic escalation against our regions" and called on Turkey to solve their internal problems.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) also reported that Turkish airstrikes targeted locations near Derik and Tirbespi.

Also in late December, 12 Turkish soldiers were killed, after which Turkey carried out a massive drone and airstrike campaign in northeast Syria and the Kurdistan Region, damaging local energy and health infrastructure in northeast Syria.