QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – “We are not terrorists,” said Safiya Ibrahim, 65, from the city of Derik (al-Malikiyah) in the far northeast Syria, denouncing Turkish airstrikes against her city which claimed elven civilian lives, at dawn on November 20.
Ibrahim, who took part in the funeral procession of the victims of the Turkish airstrikes, said “The Kurds do not kill innocents,” in an indication to the Istanbul blast which Ankara blamed Kurdistan Workers’ party (PKK) and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a claim categorically denied by both.
Days after the Istanbul blast which claimed six lives and tens of injuries, Turkish warplanes shelled a number of areas in northeast Syria.
According to the SDF, 13 civilians lost their lives including a journalist and an SDF fighter, while nine others were injured.
13 Syrian government soldiers were also killed and seven others injured in the airstrikes on the northern countryside of Aleppo. Another Syrian soldier was injured severely in the Kobani eastern village of Qazali.
Three Syrian soldiers lost their lives and a fourth was injured in a Turkish shelling on the town of Zirgan (Abu Rasin), north of Hasakah, on November 20.
Journalists
On Monday, tens of thousands of people attended the funeral of the Turkish airstrikes’ victims and chanted slogans condemning Turkey.
Ibrahim, whose son lost his life in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS), accused the US of giving a “green light” to Turkey to carry out its attacks against northeast Syria.
“Where are human rights [declaration]? Where is the international community?” She wondered angrily.
Locals in northeast Syria believe the guarantor states do not curb Turkish attacks against their area. They called for firm action from Russia and US.
Of the victims of the Turkish airstrikes on the village of Taqil Baqil in the countryside of Derik, east of Qamishli, was Issam Abdulla a local journalist who was working for the Qamishli-based Hawar News Agency (ANHA).
Co-chair of Free Media Union of North and East Syria (YRA) Malva Ali denounced acts against journalists from the part of the Turkish forces.
Malva, who took part in the funeral procession of Abdullah, said “Targeting journalists is a blatant violation and a crime that should not pass unpunished.”
A medical source from the Kobani Hospital told North Press that Sterk TV correspondent Muhammad al-Jarada incurred injuries at the head.
Hostile acts
Over the past two days, shops in the city of Derik were closed down.
However, this is not the very first time the Turkish forces target the power facility in the village of Taqil Baqil. Earlier in February, military personnel and civil servants lost their lives in a similar Turkish act.
Co-chair of the Executive Council of the Jazira region, affiliated with the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), Talaat Younes, said, “Daily acts by the Turkish occupation against our regions aim at undermining efforts to combat ISIS.”
Younes emphasized “All acts against service and military centers are close to ISIS camps and centers of the Coalition and Russian forces that do not lift a finger.”
“This perturbs northeast Syria peoples in allowing Turkey which seeks to strike at stability in the region,” Younes said.
Hamza Hassan, a relative of a victim in Taqil Baqil said, “When the explosion was heard my cousin hurried up to the site before a second took place. In the next day, we were told he did not return home.”
“At the hospital we could not recognize him. His features were badly damaged,” Hamza added.
Such attacks are hostile ones, however, had the international community showed stance, no massacres would have been committed, Hamza noted.