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Syria
An oilfield in Derik, Rojava after being targeted by Turkish aircraft. Date: December 24, 2023. Photo: Delil Souleiman/AFP
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Turkey carried out 40 airstrikes against service facilities, including electricity stations, in northeast Syria (Rojava) on Monday, leaving over 2,600 villages in darkness, said Kurdish authorities on Tuesday.
This week, Turkey launched a new wave of airstrikes against Rojava’s infrastructure in retaliation for the death of at least 12 of its soldiers in the Kurdistan Region by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Oil fields and refineries and electricity stations were among the key targets of the Turkish army.
The Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES), which rules Rojava, said in a statement on Tuesday that Turkey carried out 40 attacks, seven with war planes and the rest with drones, against vital facilities, including power stations, hospitals, grain warehouses, factories, and construction companies, on Monday.
“As a result of the aggressive attack, the residents of more than 2,600 villages live in complete darkness because Turkish occupation aircraft targeted power stations in the city of Qamishli and its countryside,” read the statement.
Eight civilians were killed and 18 others, including women and children, were injured, according to the DAANES.
Turkish state media reported on Tuesday that Ankara has destroyed nearly 50 facilities allegedly belonging to the PKK in Qamishli, Kobane and Amuda, adding that “high-profile terrorists” were targeted in the strikes.
Turkey carried out similar attacks against Rojava’s infrastructure in October as a response to PKK’s attack on the Turkish interior ministry in Ankara. The strikes caused widespread blackout in Rojava at the time.
Ankara claims that the Kurdish forces controlling Rojava are linked to the PKK but they have denied any ties with the armed group.
Thousands of people on Tuesday attended the funeral ceremonies of six of the people killed during Turkish attacks in Qamishli.
The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said none of their members were killed in the strikes.
Mazloum Abdi, commander-in-chief of the SDF, said in a post on X on Monday that "The Turkish aggression has taken a dangerous turn today, expanding its targeting of infrastructure and civilian facilities in northeast Syria."
He called on Ankara to "focus on its internal issues and address them within its borders," referring to Turkey's conflict with the PKK.
The Kurdish commander warned against the silence of the international community.
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