Security

Turkey carried out 120 drone strikes in 2022: SDF

The SDF reports that Turkey in 2022 “used warplanes, UAVs, artillery, and tanks that resulted in great damage to crucial infrastructure, residential areas, roads, and farms.”

Wladimir van Wilgenburg 2022/12/28 18:05

U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters pose for a photo in Baghouz, Syria, after the SDF declared the area free of Islamic State militants. (Photo: Maya Alleruzzo/ AP)

Syria SDF Turkey Turkish threats northeast Syria

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – According to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) recently released annual report, Turkey carried out 120 drone strikes, including five suicide drone attacks in 2022.

The SDF report found that Turkey in 2022 “used warplanes, UAVs, artillery, and tanks that resulted in great damage to crucial infrastructure, residential areas, roads, and farms.”

Recently, Turkey has also threatened to carry out a ground offensive, which the SDF claims would “cause a humanitarian catastrophe, especially in light of the widespread destruction and continuous bombardment of the entire northeast Syrian region.”

Furthermore, the SDF asserts that Turkey used 17,433 shells of heavy artillery, mortars, and tanks in these attacks. Turkish planes have also carried out 43 air raids in northeast Syria.

During the Turkish attacks, 59 civilians were killed, and 263 people were injured, according to the SDF report.

Moreover, the SDF said they have killed 44 Turkish soldiers and 22 Turkish-backed rebels in ‘retaliation operations’.

The SDF has carried out 113 anti-ISIS operations in 2022. They arrested 267 ISIS suspects during these operations. A total of 387 ‘terrorists’ were killed (375 during the Sinaa prison escape attempt in January, and 12 others at separate operations).

ISIS also carried out 176 terrorist acts, including suicide attacks, IEDs, and extortion of civilians, per the findings of the report.

A total of 179 SDF fighters were killed, including 95 fighters while confronting Turkish attacks, and 69 while combating ISIS cells.

The SDF calls on the international community to assume their responsibilities towards violations by Turkey and Turkish-backed groups in northeast Syria and called on the US-led coalition to increase its support in the new year.