Continuous Turkish escalation amid calls to stop it
TEL TAMR, Syria (North Press) – Villages of the northern countryside of Hasakah, northeastern Syria, witnessed a fierce Turkish military escalation during the second week of August, sparking an outcry among the region’s residents who demanded the international community to put an end to these violations.
Bombardment
On Tuesday, the Turkish forces shelled the countryside of the town of Tel Tamr three times, targeting the villages of al-Gozaliya, Tel al-Laban, Quboor al-Qarajneh and al-Tawila.
On the same day, people of the town of Abu Rasin (Zirgan) and its countryside fled towards the east, after the Turkish forces struck them with three shells and hit a Telecommunications tower, which caused a communications blackout in the area. It also shelled the town of Ain Issa, injuring Muhammad Bashir, a civilian from the village of al-Jdaideh near the town.
Turkish forces shelled at dawn on Tuesday the villages of al-Gozaliya, Tel al-Laban and Salamsa, west of Tel Tamr town, which killed Ibrahim Muhammad Hashi from the village of Salamsa.
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), stated Tuesday that Turkish forces shelled with more than “30 rocket-propelled grenades the villages of Um al-Baramil, al-Mukhalat, al-Hishah, al-Hawijah,” and the M4 Highway in the eastern countryside of Ain Issa.
The statement said the shelling of al-Hishah led to a power outage in the entire village.
On Wednesday, the Turkish forces targeted the villages of Kor Hassan and Arida in the countryside of Tel Abyad, according to eyewitnesses.
Public Reaction
On Tuesday, a demonstration took place in front of the US-led coalition base in the Guweiran neighborhood in Hasakah, to protest the coalition’s silence regarding the recent Turkish attacks that caused many civilian casualties.
On the same day, hundreds of residents of Ain Issa went out in a demonstration, demanding the international community to stop the Turkish attacks that target residents and inhabited villages.
On Monday, the residents of the city of Qamishli handed a message to the Russian forces at their base in the city, pleading them to impose a no-fly zone over the areas of northeast Syria.
In addition, dozens of people participated in sit-ins on Thursday in front of the of the United Nations headquarters in Qamishli, and in front of the Russian forces base in Amuda, a town west of Qamishli.