SDF reveals toll of 11th day of Turkish attacks against Syria’s north
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – With 125 shells, Turkish forces targeted on Wednesday 45 villages and towns in different areas in northern Syria, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said on Thursday.
The SDF Media Center said that the Turkish forces targeted about 20 villages and towns in the northern countryside of Aleppo, known as Shahba region, with 80 artillery shells and six mortars.
Shahba region houses IDPs of the Kurdish city of Afrin which was occupied in 2018 by Turkey following a military operation dubbed “Olive Branch” to push away the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) under the pretext of protecting Turkey’s national security.
The operation caused the displacement of about 300.000 of the original inhabitants of the Kurds of Afrin who have been taking shelter in 40 villages and five camps in Shahba region since then.
The area has been militarily protected by Russian and Syrian government forces since 2018.
In the northern countryside of Hasakah Governorate, northeast Syria, the Turkish shelling hit four villages in the vicinity of Tel Tamr town and six villages near the town of Zirgan, the statement read.
The SDF statement added that the Turkish artillery also targeted three villages in the countryside of Kobani city, and nine villages and the M4 Highway in the countryside of Tel Abyad town, in addition to bombarding the village of al-Hamam near the town of Ain Issa with four artillery shells.
The forces also hit, with mortars, the village of Quart Wiran in the countryside of Manbij city and the vicinity of the town of al-Kantari, killing an SDF fighter and wounding another, the statement added.
Since November 20, Turkish forces have escalated their ground and air bombardment of many areas in northern Syria, severely damaging infrastructures, and causing civilian and military casualties.