The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have announced a recent counter-operation in response to ongoing military attacks carried out by Turkey and its allied Syrian rebel factions, and that six Turkish-backed mercenaries were killed as a result of their operation.
One fighter from the Tamr Military Council also lost his life during the operation, which took place on 7 August.
The SDF relayed through an official written statement that their operation had specifically targeted a position held by a Turkish-backed faction in the village of Arisha, located between the towns of Ras al-Ayn (Serê Kaniyê) and Tel Tamr (Tıltemir) in the Hasakah (Hesekê) Governorate of northern Syria.
“This operation was in retaliation for our fighters who were martyred on 3 August in Qamishlo,” said the SDF, referring to a Turkish drone strike which had killed four SDF fighters and wounded two others. The drone attack was not an isolated occurrence, but rather part of a wider pattern of Turkish military aggression against the SDF and other groups in the region.
The Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) has been witnessing an alarming escalation of Turkey’s aggressive military policy in the region recently.
At the the break of dawn on Wednesday, Turkish military forces launched artillery shells targeting villages in the outskirts of the towns Tel Tamr and Zirgan (Abu Rasin) in Hasakah Governorate.
According to the SDF media centre, a distressing tally of 556 ground, artillery, tank, and mortar attacks were conducted by Turkish forces in July alone. Additionally, Turkish warplanes breached Syrian airspace 58 times, and the region endured 10 drone strikes. The relentless onslaught left nine SDF fighters dead in July, including a member of the Internal Security Forces (Asayish), along with one civilian.
Moreover, 12 SDF fighters and two civilians were injured, compounding the growing concern and frustration among Kurdish communities subjected to Turkey’s military actions.