Turkey’s Ministry of Defence made false claims that the country’s military has “successfully neutralised” scores of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters during offensives in northern Syria this week, the Kurdish-led SDF announced on Wednesday.
SDF, the official military force of northeast Syria’s autonomous administration, rejected the Turkish defence ministry’s assertion that 41 SDF fighters had been killed in Tal Rifaat and Manbij (Minbîc).
Five fighters were killed during Turkey’s attacks in Manbij, data provided by SDF’s Manbij Military Council clarified, according to the forces. The SDF also pointed out that they do not have units positioned in Tal Rifaat.
The SDF accused the Turkish defence ministry of disseminating misleading information as part of Turkey’s intelligence-led war against the region.
Turkey’s Ministry of Defence released accompanying video footage showcasing ongoing airstrikes carried out since the start of the week. The country’s official announcements referred to the Kurdish fighters as “terrorists”.
Recent assaults by the Turkish Armed Forces on the region have killed and maimed civilians, according to sources from the ground, killed seven Damascus soldiers and a Russian soldier, as well as causing the deaths of the five Kurdish fighters. These fatalities were not included in the Turkish defence ministry’s statement.
On 15 June the Turkish Defence Ministry raised the alleged fatality figure of SDF fighters to 57.
