27 Syrian civilians killed from Turkish drone strikes

AL HASAKAH: 27 civilians were killed in Syria by Turkish drone strikes over a 24 hour period, a Syria war monitor reported on Friday.

The 45 drone strikes and another four by fighter jets also killed 59 members of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). The strikes were in response to an attack which tageted the headquarters of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAS) in Ankara, and claimed the lives of five people, according to the Turkey’s Defence Ministry.

They believe the attacks, which injured an additional 22 people, was carried out by the PKK. No one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack carried out by the two assailants.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights stated that “Turkish forces have dramatically escalated their aerial and ground attacks in north and east Syria,” adding that since 2024, “147 airstrikes carried out by Turkish drones on different positions in areas controlled by Autonomous Administration in North and Eastern Syria (AANES)” were reported.

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Defence Minister Yasar Guler said that Turkish forces hit 18 PKK targets in Syria, along with 29 in northern Iraq.

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) added that “In addition to populated areas, Turkish warplanes and UAVs (drones) targeted bakeries, power stations, oil facilities and (Kurdish) Internal Security Force checkpoints.”

The initial attack allegedly carried out by the PKK was condemned by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the BRICS conference in Kazan, Russia.

“This cowardly attack has further strengthened Turkey’s determination to eliminate terrorism,” Erdogan stated.

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