Turkey steps up airstrikes against Kurdish groups in Syria and Iraq after 12 soldiers were killed

Turkey has escalated its aerial assaults on Kurdish factions in Syria and northern Iraq following the tragic loss of 12 Turkish soldiers in Iraq during the weekend.

In a formal announcement on Monday, the Turkish defense ministry disclosed that it had effectively neutralized at least 26 militants through these airstrikes.

Regrettably, in the town of Qamishili in northeast Syria, Turkish airstrikes on Monday resulted in the tragic demise of at least six innocent civilians, as reported by a local hospital official who insisted on anonymity in adherence to established regulations. Additionally, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an independent war monitoring organization based in the United Kingdom, corroborated the loss of six civilian lives. According to their findings, a further 11 civilians sustained injuries in the airstrikes.

The Syrian Observatory divulged that Turkey has executed a total of 124 airstrikes in northeast Syria in the year 2023, with these actions resulting in the unfortunate loss of 92 lives.

The chain of events leading to this escalation began on a fateful Friday when Turkish authorities disclosed that militants associated with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a separatist Kurdish organization with a long history of insurgency against Turkey dating back to the 1980s, attempted to infiltrate a Turkish military base in the semi-autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq. Tragically, six Turkish soldiers lost their lives during the ensuing confrontation. The following day, six more Turkish soldiers met a similar fate in clashes with Kurdish militants.

In response to these losses, the Turkish government initiated airstrikes against numerous targets believed to be associated with the PKK. It is noteworthy that some of these strikes impacted critical oil industry facilities and essential infrastructure in northeast Syria. As a result, electricity production in the region experienced a drastic 50% reduction on the subsequent Saturday, according to the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria. This administration, which is a Kurdish-led authority in northeast Syria, maintains Turkey’s affiliation claims with the PKK but remains a pivotal ally of the United States.

It is important to highlight that Turkey and the United States share the classification of the PKK as a terrorist organization; however, they diverge in their perspectives regarding the status of Syrian Kurdish groups. These groups have played a pivotal role as U.S. allies in the fight against the Islamic State group within Syria.

In response to these dire developments, the Kurdish administration has called upon the United Nations to intervene urgently, expressing concerns that the Turkish military actions could jeopardize regional security. Furthermore, it was disclosed that one of the airstrikes struck in proximity to the Alaya prison in Qamishli, which currently houses individuals associated with the Islamic State.

Mazloum Abdi, the commander of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, condemned Turkey’s targeting of infrastructure and civilian livelihoods within northeast Syria in a statement conveyed via social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter).

Notably, there has been no immediate official response from Iraqi authorities regarding these airstrikes.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Turkish Airstrikes

More about Turkish Airstrikes

• Turkey retaliates with airstrikes – Al Jazeera report on Turkey’s airstrikes in response to soldier deaths.
• Kurdish Workers’ Party (PKK) – Background on the PKK and its conflict with Turkey.
• Syrian Observatory for Human Rights – Information source on casualties and events in Syria.
• United Nations – The official website for updates on international interventions and conflict resolutions.
• Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria – Information about the Kurdish-led authority and its statements.
• Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces – Statements and updates from the Kurdish-led forces in Syria.
• Islamic State group – Background on the Islamic State group and its presence in the region.