On Christmas Day, Turkey carried out a series of airstrikes targeting 18 different civilian infrastructure sites in North and East Syria’s autonomous regions according to a report by the Rojava Information Centre (RIC).
🔴 On the ground, the Rojava Information Center (@RojavaIC) shares reports of Turkey’s Christmas day bombardment of North and East Syria (NES).#StopTurkeyDroneStrikes | #NoFlyZone4Rojava | #AANES
🌍 https://t.co/x2P33R6LJt pic.twitter.com/l4VE70U7eR
— MedyaNews (@1MedyaNews) December 26, 2023
The extensive strikes, which totalled 32 on Monday, included critical facilities such as a petrol station, construction material factories, food and agricultural production units, a printing house, grain silos and a mill. A health centre was also targeted by Turkey.
Notably, there were multiple strikes on many of these key sites during the course of Monday. According to the local Hawar news agency (ANHA), the Meshtanour (Mishtenûr) clinic in Kobani (Kobane) was struck six times. The clinic, which is supported by Médecins Sans Frontières and provides free services to around 400 people a day, has been rendered inoperable as a result of the latest attacks.
This offensive follows a similarly devastating Turkish air campaign just three months ago, which crippled the energy infrastructure of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES), leaving more than a million people without access to electricity and water.
Turkey’s air and drone strikes on Christmas Day killed eight civilians and injured a further eleven in Qamishli (Qamişlo), the main target of the attacks. Concerns remain that the death toll could rise as some of the wounded remain in critical condition.
The bombardment continued into the early hours of Tuesday morning, targeting Qamishli, Amuda (Amûde) and Kobani (Kobanê), ANHA reported.
The RIC reported that in response to the attacks, DAANES quickly suspended the operations of all non-essential institutions.
According to the region’s political leaders, the bombardment was a blatant violation of international law and the deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure amounted to war crimes.
Major cities in North and East Syria witnessed widespread demonstrations as citizens voiced their vehement opposition to Turkey’s aggressive actions.
RIC, a key source on the ground, is actively providing commentary along with photos and videos from the sites of the airstrikes.
List of Turkish airstrikes since the evening of Christmas day, according to the RIC report:
1. Odeh oil field, Tirbespi;
2. Sayeeda oil field, Tirbespi;
3. Sabia power station;
4. Factory near Tirbespi.
5. Sadcop industrial site, Qamishli;
6. Printing house, Qamishli;
7. Old train station, Qamishli;
8. Cement factory, Qamishli;
9. Mill, Qamishli;
10. Grain silos, Qamishli;
11. Cotton factory, Qamishli;
12. Park near Alaya prison, Qamishli;
13. Ceramics warehouse, Qamishli;
14. Al-Falaheen petrol station, Qamishli;
15. Agricultural materials factory, Qamishli;
16. Lentil packaging factory, Amude;
17. Wedding venue, Amude;
18. Olive oil factory, Amude;
19. Mehrkan village, Tirbespi;
20. Meshtanour clinic, Kobani;
21. Car mechanic, Kobani;
22. Feed factory, Kobani.
