A Turkish drone strike in northern Syria has killed 11 civilians, including six children, according to a war monitor. The attack took place in a Kurdish-controlled region near the city of Raqa, in the area of Ain Issa, on Monday.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the victims were all members of the same family. The drone strike targeted their home, leading to their deaths.
This attack comes a day after a significant offensive led by Islamist rebels, which resulted in the capture of large areas from government forces, including territory in northern Syria.
The Observatory, a UK-based group with sources inside Syria, also reported heavy fighting in the northern Manbij area on Sunday. At least 26 fighters died as Turkey-backed Syrian forces launched an offensive, capturing parts of the city of Manbij after intense clashes with local Kurdish forces. These Kurdish forces are part of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a Kurdish-led group supported by the US.
Pro-Turkish factions claimed to have taken control of Manbij, a strategic city in the Aleppo countryside, following the battles. The SDF, which played a key role in the defeat of ISIS in Syria in 2019, has long been a target for Turkey. Ankara considers the Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), which make up the SDF, to be linked to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a group involved in a decades-long insurgency against Turkey.
Earlier this month, Turkish-backed fighters took control of the northern town of Tal Rifaat, which had been held by Kurdish forces. Turkey has previously expressed interest in securing Kurdish-held areas in northern Syria and preventing Kurdish expansion.
In recent statements, Turkey emphasized its desire to help ensure security in Syria following the fall of Assad’s regime and to prevent Kurdish forces from gaining more influence in the region.
