QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Victims among Syrian government soldiers have been on the rise since Turkey started intensifying its ground and air bombardment in north and northeast Syria, amid no statements or official stance by the Syrian government regarding these attacks.
Up to now, around 20 Syrian soldiers have been killed, and a dozen more were injured in the recent Turkish bombardment in north and northeast Syria.
The Special Advisor at the Syrian Presidency, Bouthaina Shaaban, said Thursday, “The Turkish occupation uses flimsy pretexts to justify the presence of terrorists operating under its umbrella in northwestern Syria.” She added that the “Turkish regime does not adhere to its commitments with Russia, and fabricates arguments to implement its ambitions in the Syrian and Iraqi territories.”
However, Shabaan ignored the days-long Turkish operations against vast swaths in northern Syria, killing dozens of people and causing destruction to vital infrastructure.
On Wednesday, which marks the fourth day of Turkey’s bombardment against northern Syria, Turkish forces targeted with artillery and more than 33 airstrikes more than 34 positions in the region. Most of the attacks hit oil fields east of the city of Qamishli, northeastern Syria.
On November 20, thirteen soldiers of the government forces lost their lives and seven others were wounded in Turkish raids against the village of Shawargha in the northern countryside of Aleppo. Another soldier was injured in a Turkish airstrike against the village of Qazali, east of Kobani city, northern Syria.
At the town of Zirgan (Abu Rasin), northeastern Syria, three government soldiers were killed in a Turkish shelling after Sunday mid-night against the area.
On Tuesday, a Turkish sniper shot a Syrian soldier in front of the border-crossing between the cities of Nusaybin in Turkey and Qamishli in Syria.
In the same day, another soldier was killed in a Turkish shelling that targeted the village of Maranaz in the northern countryside of Aleppo.
Up to now, no official statement has been released from any given official body in the government regarding the latest Turkish attacks on Syria. Instead, the government seemed more interested in attending economic events.
On Wednesday, the Syrian Minister for Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Faisal Mekdad called on the country’s embassies to participate in all economic events.
He said that “every possible effort should be made, especially when it comes to confronting the coercive, immoral, inhuman measures taken by the US and European countries against the Syrian people.”
Al-Mekdad added that all the country’s embassies are on high alert and have instructions to participate in all economic events.