AANES condemns Turkish escalation against north Syria

Turkish shelling of a village in northern Manbij – North Press
Turkish shelling of a village in northern Manbij – North Press

QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – On Wednesday, the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) condemned the recent Turkish military escalation, which targeted several AANES-held areas, causing human losses and material damage.

In a statement on its website, the AANES said that as efforts abound to find a solution to the Syrian crisis, the “Turkish aggression have escalated its unjustified attacks again.”

“Today, Turkey launched a wide-ranging attack with drones and shells on areas in al-Shahba, Manbij, and Qamishli, causing direct injuries to civilians,” the statement said.

For the last three days, Turkey has launched many drone strikes on many areas in northern Syria – including Qamishli, Manbij, Kobani and Aleppo northern countryside (Shahba region) – killing at least 10 people, civilians and military personnel, and injuring many more.  

The statement added that these attacks come amid talks of holding quadripartite meetings – between Russia, Turkey, Iran and Syria – which aim at mending fences between Ankara and Damascus.

The AANES did not rule out that Turkey is conspiring with other parties against it. If true, that constitutes “a serious threat” that will reflect on Syria and the region.

In conclusion, the AANES condemned the escalation and emphasized the need for the US-led “Global Coalition, Russia, and the Syrian regime to clarify their positions on it.” They further urged these parties to pressure Turkey to stop these attacks which increase tension in the region.