Syrian Kurdish Asayish confirms Turkish airstrike killed “number of our forces” near Derik

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Internal Security Forces (also known as Asayish) in a late statement on Monday confirmed that on Sunday night a Turkish strike near Derik killed and injured a number of Asayish members.

It said the Turkish strike “targeted a center for our forces in the Kocherat district on the evening of Sunday, October 8, which led to the martyrdom of a number of members of our forces and the injury of others."

The Asayish said it would come with an update later.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) claimed a total of 11 Asayish members were killed, after a Turkish jet targeted a training centre. But this was not confirmed by the local authorities or Asayish.

It also mentioned the death toll is likely to rise due to the high number of injured people.

An activist claimed the Asayish commander of Derik was killed when the strikes hit the anti-drugs training center in Derik.

On Sunday evening, hospitals in Qamishlo and Derik treated injured members and called civilians to donate blood.

Before Sunday’s strike, at least 15 people were killed, including six civilians since Turkey launched drone and airstrikes on Oct. 5, after it blamed an PKK attack in Ankara on two fighters coming from Syria.

The SDF has denied any link to the incident.

Read More: Ongoing Turkish airstrikes targeting cities in Northeast Syria

Turkish artillery and jets on Sunday also hit other locations, including in northern Aleppo, oil sites near Tirbespi (Qahtaniyah) and Tal Tamr.