Turkish military attacks in the countryside of eastern Aleppo in Syria killed 52 civilians, including women and children, in January, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on Sunday. The strikes, which targeted residential areas, also left hundreds of fighters dead as clashes ensued between the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
In total 392 people were killed, including 300 Turkish-backed fighters and 40 members of the Kurdish-led SDF, according to the report. The attacks involved fighter jets, drones and heavy artillery, and caused destruction in civilian areas, worsening the humanitarian crisis.
Turkey and its allied factions, known as the Syrian National Army (SNA), focussed their offensive on areas controlled by the SDF, with reports of airstrikes hitting homes and vital infrastructure. The violence has led to mass displacement, forcing thousands to flee as conditions deteriorate.
The escalation has raised alarm among human rights organisations, which warn of further civilian casualties and worsening security. The repeated Turkish military actions in northern Syria have been widely criticised, with calls for an end to attacks on civilian populations.
As tensions mount, aid groups fear that the continued bombing of residential areas will worsen the crisis, leaving thousands without shelter, food, or medical care.
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