Türkiye's drone strike in Syria killed 4 US-backed fighters, several civilians injured
The western area of the Syrian city of Qamishli was attacked about 8 times on the evening of May 31, killing 4 US-backed fighters. This attack was carried out a day after the Turkish President's statement of taking action against the Kurdish group.
Turkey carried out a drone attack in the northern region of Syria on Friday evening, 31 May. In this attack, 4 US-backed fighters were killed and 11 civilians were injured. This attack was carried out after the statement of the Turkish President, in which he talked about taking action against the Kurdish-led group. Turkey sees the Kurdish-led group as a terrorist organization.
The attack was carried out in and around the northern city of Qamishli, an area held by the US-backed and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The SDF said that apart from their bases, civilian homes and vehicles were attacked about 8 times. Such attacks by Turkey are not uncommon in north-eastern Syria.
Kurdish-led force gave full information
The Kurdish Red Crescent said that after this attack on paramedics in the city of Amouda, west of Qamishli, it tried to reach those areas, but one of its ambulances was completely damaged in the Turkish attack. The Kurdish-led force gave full information about this attack. This Turkish drone strike on Syria was carried out just a day after the statement given by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday. The Kurdish-led autonomous administration controlling the northern and eastern parts of Syria has announced plans to hold municipal elections on June 11 and votes for this will be held in Hasakeh, Raqqa, Deir el-Zour, and the eastern part of Aleppo province. This election is being described as a threat to the territorial integrity of both Syria and Turkey.
What was the statement of Turkish President Erdogan?
Turkish President Erdogan said that his government will not hesitate to take action against Kurdish-led groups in northern Syria if they go ahead with their plan to hold local elections. He further said that we are closely monitoring the aggressive actions taken by the terrorist organization against our country and Syria's territorial integrity under the pretext of elections. However, Turkey has not yet commented on this matter.
Türkiye is angry with the US for supporting the SDF
State Department spokesman Vedant Patel posted on X that we do not believe the conditions currently exist for such elections in northeastern Syria. These groups have been accused of having links to illegal Kurdish militants in Turkey. Turkey considers the Kurdish militia group, also known as the People's Protection Units, a terrorist group linked to the illegal Kurdish group that has led an insurgency in Turkey since 1984, killing thousands in that conflict with the Kurdistan Workers' Party.
The People's Protection Units serve as the backbone for the Syrian Democratic Forces, a key US ally in the fight against the Islamic State group. The US supports the SDF, which angers Turkey and remains a major source of friction in their relations.