Turkish Airstrikes Claim 12 Lives in Northeast Syria Amid Escalating Conflict

By Kardo Roj

QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Turkish warplanes and drones launched a deadly barrage of airstrikes on Wednesday, killing 12 people, including Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters and civilians, in the Shaddadi region south of Hasakah, northeast Syria.

The attacks, which targeted military positions and civilian areas, have heightened tensions in an already volatile region, prompting the SDF to call for international condemnation of what it describes as a blatant violation of Syrian sovereignty.

In an official statement, the SDF reported that the airstrikes began at 3:00 p.m. local time, with a fleet of Turkish aircraft striking multiple locations in the Ruwaished desert near Shaddadi. 

The statement detailed that 16 separate strikes hit an SDF military outpost, civilian homes housing workers, and a vehicle carrying shepherds along the Kharafi road linking Deir ez-Zor and Hasakah. 

The casualties included four SDF fighters, six civilian workers, and two shepherds. “This new Turkish aggression on our regions is a clear escalation,” the SDF said, urging the international community to take a stand against the assaults.

Local eyewitnesses corroborated the SDF’s account, describing scenes of chaos as plumes of smoke rose over the sparsely populated desert area. “We heard explosions and saw the planes overhead,” said Ahmad, a resident of a nearby village who declined to give his full name for safety reasons. “People were running, trying to find cover, but there’s little shelter out here.” The strikes damaged homes and disrupted daily life, adding to the humanitarian strain in a region battered by years of conflict.

Turkey has not officially commented on the specific strikes, but its military operations in northeast Syria typically aim to target the SDF, which Ankara views as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). 

The SDF, however, denies these allegations and has been a key U.S. ally in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS), complicating the geopolitical dynamics. 

The Syrian conflict, now in its 14th year, has seen Turkey carve out a significant role, occupying parts of northern Syria and clashing repeatedly with the SDF. 

The latest escalation comes amid a fragile transitional phase following the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, with the new caretaker government led by Ahmed al-Sharaa struggling to assert control. 

Analysts suggest Turkey may be exploiting this instability to weaken the SDF and bolster its allied Syrian National Army (SNA), which holds territory near Hasakah.