April 2017 Turkish airstrikes in Syria and Iraq

April 2017 Turkish airstrikes in Syria and Iraq
Part of the Turkish involvement in the Syrian Civil War, the Iraqi Civil War (2014–present), the Rojava conflict, and the Kurdish–Turkish conflict (2015–present)
Type Airstrike
Location Al-Malikiyah District, al-Hasakah Governorate, Syria
Mount Sinjar, Nineveh Governorate, Iraq
Commanded by General Staff of the Republic of Turkey[1]
Target
Date 25 April 2017
02:00 EEST (UTC+03:00)
Executed by Turkey Turkish Air Force
Casualties

70 killed (Turkish claim)[2]

20 YPG fighters injured[1][3]
Civil uprising
in Syria (March–August 2011)
Start of insurgency (September 2011 – April 2012)
UN Cease-fire and escalation (May 2012 – December 2013)
Rise of the Islamists (January–September 2014)
United States-led intervention (September 2014 – September 2015)
Russian intervention (September 2015 – March 2016)
Aleppo escalation and Turkish intervention (March–December 2016)
Post-Aleppo and decline of ISIL (December 2016–present)

In the morning of 25 April 2017, the Turkish Air Force conducted multiple bombing raids against the headquarters of the People's Protection Units (YPG) and the Women's Protection Units (YPJ) in northeastern Syria, while simultaneously launching airstrikes against positions of the Sinjar Resistance Units (YBS) on Mount Sinjar, northwestern Iraq. The airstrikes killed 20 YPG and YPJ fighters in Syria in addition to 5 Peshmerga soldiers in Iraq.[2]

Attacks

The attacks were authorized by the General Staff of the Republic of Turkey, who claimed that the bombings targeted the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and were attempts to prevent the PKK from "sending terrorists, arms, ammunition and explosives" to Turkey.[1] At around 2 a.m. EEST, Turkish planes conducted several airstrikes on YPG and YPJ positions atop Mount Qarachok, near the town of al-Malikiyah. The targets of the airstrikes were a YPG media center, a radio station, a telecommunications facility, and military bases. The bombings killed 12 YPJ and 8 YPG fighters and injured 18 more.[2][5]

At around 2:30 a.m., Turkish planes bombed suspected PKK positions atop Mount Sinjar. The airstrikes hit a Peshmerga communications tower and killed 5 Peshmerga soldiers and injured 9 more.[6] According to the mayor of Sinjar city, no casualties were reported among the PKK.[7]

Turkish response

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the President of Turkey, stated that "We are obliged to take measures. We must take steps" after the airstrikes. Turkey claimed to have contacted the United States, Russia, and Masoud Barzani, President of Iraqi Kurdistan, prior to the attacks. In response to the airstrike on a Peshmerga position which killed 5 of their soldiers, Erdoğan stated that it was "absolutely not an operation against [them]."[8]

Reactions

A US military official and YPG commanders tour the area hit by the airstrikes

Aftermath

On 26 April, the Turkish Army bombarded YPG positions with artillery near the border town of al-Darbasiyah in northeastern Hasaka. Heavy clashes then erupted between the YPG and the Turkish Army on the border, resulting in multiple casualties from both sides. Meanwhile, clashes also broke out between the YPG and the Turkish Army on the western border near Afrin.[12] Border clashes continued for the next two days, with border outposts being targeted from both sides which resulted in dozens of casualties.[13]

On 28 April, Turkish forces removed a part of the Turkey–Syria barrier north of Amuda and bombarded villages north of the city with artillery.[14] On the same day, US troops, including 8 commanders, visited Derbassiye and other areas where the fighting took place.[15] On 29 April, more US troops in armoured personnel carriers arrived on the Syrian side of the border.[16]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Mohammad Abdulssattar Ibrahim; Maria Nelson (25 April 2017). "Deadly Turkish airstrikes hit US-supported Kurdish militia in Syria’s northeast". Syria:direct.
  2. 1 2 3 Isabel Coles; John Davison (25 April 2017). "Turkish jets strike Kurdish fighters in Syria, Iraq's Sinjar". Reuters.
  3. 1 2 "The Turkish attack on the Kurdish Forces’ position kills 28 fighters at least including commander and workers of the media center". SOHR. 26 April 2017.
  4. ↑ "Death toll in Turkish raids on Syria Kurds hits 28". Zaman al-Wasl. 26 April 2017.
  5. 1 2 "12 members of the Kurdish women’s force, YPJ, killed in Turkish airstrikes". Kom News. 26 April 2017.
  6. ↑ MICHAEL R. GORDON; KAMIL KAKOL (25 April 2017). "Turkish Strikes Target Kurdish Allies of U.S. in Iraq and Syria". The New York Times.
  7. 1 2 Suzan Fraser (25 April 2017). "Turkey strikes Kurds in Iraq, Syria, drawing condemnation". Associated Press.
  8. 1 2 "Turkey air strikes on Kurds in Syria and Iraq spark US concern". BBC. 25 April 2017.
  9. 1 2 Amberin Zaman (25 April 2017). "Kurds call on US to set up no-fly zone after Turkish attacks". Al-Monitor.
  10. ↑ Syria denounces aggression carried out by Erdogan’s regime on Syrian territory Sana.sy, 26 April 2017.
  11. ↑ Wladimir van Wilgenburg (1 May 2017). "Syria’s Kurdish National Council condemns ‘Turkish aggression’". ARA News.
  12. ↑ Wladimir van Wilgenburg (27 April 2017). "Heavy clashes hit Rojava as Syrian Kurds respond to Turkish attacks". ARA News.
  13. ↑ Dilber Issa (28 April 2017). "Tensions escalate between Kurdish YPG forces and Turkish troops north Syria". ARA News.
  14. ↑ "Turkish Army Bombards Villages North Of ‘Amouda’ With Heavy Artillery". Radio Welat. 28 April 2017.
  15. ↑ Wladimir van Wilgenburg (29 April 2017). "US army visits Syrian border to prevent further Turkish attacks against Kurds". ARA News.
  16. ↑ Zeynep Bilginsoy and Sarah El Deeb (29 April 2017). "Tensions rise between Turkey, US along Syrian border". AP.
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