On Friday, a Turkish drone bombed a civilian house in Qamishli (Qamişlo), northern Syria, causing the explosion of two fuel tanks on the building’s roof. Panic spread among civilians in the area, while no casualties have been reported.
The Internal Security Forces (Asayish) of Qamishli stated in a press release that “Turkish drones bombed a residential building in the centre of Qamishli. The attack caused material damage and led to the ignition of fuel tanks on the rooftop, resulting in two large explosions.”
Early in the afternoon of Friday, witnesses described hearing a sound resembling bullets or a cannonball before the explosion, and video footage shows the fire ignited by the drone attack and the subsequent explosion.
The statement by the Asayish condemned the attack and called on the international community “to show a stance opposing the [Turkish state’s] inhumane practices whose aim is to weaken the stability and the security of northeastern Syria.”
As part of its series of crimes against the people of north and eastern Syria, the Turkish UCAVs targeted a civilian house in a densely populated neighborhood in the city of Qamishli, resulting in material damage and terrorizing the residents. pic.twitter.com/y3YGTSx0RK
— Syrian Democratic Forces (@SDF_Syria) January 17, 2025
The city of Qamishli is part of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES). This attack comes at a time when intense fighting is taking place between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the armed force of the AANES, and the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA). The city’s inhabitants have been frequently targeted by Turkish drones, causing multiple civilian casualties.
The city is culturally rich, and is home to different ethnicities including Arabs, Kurds, Syriacs and different faiths. Those communities have organised themselves in a confederal system linked to the AANES in an attempt to guarantee co-existence and rights to representation and administration of every community.
