Six killed, eight wounded in government escalation near Kobani
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The Autonomous Administration in Kobani said on Monday that six civilians were killed and eight others wounded in two separate incidents caused by shelling by Syrian government forces on villages in the countryside north of the city.
In an official statement, the administration said that “forces affiliated with the Damascus government committed a massacre against civilians in the village of Kharab Ashk, resulting in five killed from one family and five wounded.” It added that a second incident took place in al-Qasimiya village, near the town of al-Qanaya, where “a child was martyred and three other children were wounded.”
The statement described the incidents as occurring “in a dangerous escalation and a direct violation of the declared truce in the region.”
It added that the two attacks “constitute a flagrant violation of all international laws and norms, as targeting civilians is a war crime punishable under international law,” calling on the international community and humanitarian and human rights organizations to “intervene urgently, hold the perpetrators accountable for the massacres against unarmed civilians, and immediately stop the attacks targeting the region.”
According to the Autonomous Administration, government forces have continued to strike populated villages around Kobani despite the ceasefire agreement, using “drones, artillery, tanks, and various types of heavy weapons,” which, it said, “threatens the security and safety of civilians and risks further massacres.”
The Autonomous Administration concluded its statement by urging “the guarantor states of the ceasefire agreement” to fulfill their responsibilities and exert serious pressure to halt what it described as continued violations.