SDF hopes for “clear stance” by US, Russia regarding Turkish strikes
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) called on Tuesday the US-led Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS and Russia to show a “clear stance” regarding the recent Turkish airstrikes on infrastructure facilities in the region of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES).
In a statement published on its official website, the SDF said the silence of the Global Coalition and Russia regarding the Turkish attacks “is not accurate”. “We hope for a clear stance regarding these assaults,” it said.
On Monday, Turkey targeted several civilian infrastructure facilities in North and East Syria including an industrial facility in the Allaya neighborhood near a prison that detains militants of the Islamic State (ISIS), Simav press printing house, a grain silos, a cement facility, a mill, a clothing factory, and the train station in the city of Qamishli. In addition, it bombed the village of Segerka and a cement factory in the village of Shork in the east of Qamishli.
On Dec. 23, Turkish warplanes targeted eight sites in Northeast Syria: four in Tirbe Spiye (al-Qahtaniya) in the east of the city of qamishli, one in Derik (al-Malikiyah) in the same region, and three in Manbij in northern Syria. The attacks targeted infrastructure facilities in the region, including the Sweidiya gas plant, leaving residents without power.
The airstrikes aim at spreading intimidation and extermination, the SDF added. “These attacks directly aimed at our people, targeting all their economic resources and the democratic institutions they established with limited capabilities.”
The SDF announced that the Turkish airstrikes led to the killing of eight people and the injury of 18 others.
The SDF confirmed that the targeted facilities are not military but they are owned by civilians. “The areas under attack do not house our fighters; rather, it is our people who are being specifically targeted and subjected to these assaults.”
This is the second attack Turkey launches on Northeast Syria region in 2023. Between Oct. 5 and 9, the Turkish forces conducted similar airstrikes that nearly paralyzed the region after knocking vital infrastructure out of service. On Nov. 20, 2022, the same happened with Turkey bombed AANES-held areas on the entire border strip with Turkey.