Three children were killed by artillery fire on Sunday as Turkish forces and their allied militias shelled the town of Ain Issa (Eyn Îsa) in northern Raqqa Governorate, in territory held by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The deadly incident has exacerbated fears among local civilians, as concerns grow over the possibility of renewed bombardment in the area.
According to local sources, the three victims – identified as Muslit Zaki El-Xedîp, Resûl Munadî El-Xedîp and Feysel Xazî El-Xedîp, all aged 13 – were grazing their sheep in the village of al-Fatsa when they were hit by mortar fire. The attack adds to the mounting civilian death toll amid ongoing hostilities between Turkish-backed forces and the SDF.
This latest artillery strike is part of Turkey’s larger military campaign targeting Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) positions in northern Raqqa Governorate. A report released by the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) in the first month of the year detailed the heavy toll of Turkey’s military offensive. The Ain Issa region has long been a flashpoint in the broader conflict between Turkey and the SDF, and since Turkey’s 2019 offensive into northern Syria, the areas around Ain Issa have experienced alternating periods of heightened violence and low intensity conflict.
Last week, shelling by Turkish forces targeted the village of al-Suwaydiya, also in the countryside east of Ain Issa, although details of casualties or material damage remain unclear.
Turkey’s military actions in the region, backed by Islamist groups, have resulted in widespread destruction and the depopulation of dozens of villages. Turkish air strikes have further damaged critical infrastructure in recent years, including water supplies, and in September access to drinking water was cut off for around 50 villages in the area.
