Turkey is being accused by Kurdish security forces of carrying out a drone strike in northeastern Syria on Tuesday that killed three civilians in a car.
The attack took place in Qamishli, a town on the Syria-Turkey border controlled by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The three victims belonged to the same family, according to a statement from the SDF’s internal security forces, which also said the attack was “perpetrated by Turkish drones.”
Turkey has not commented on the incident, but Kurdish forces say Turkish forces have increased targeted drone operations in northeastern Syria in recent months.
Turkey sees the SDF and its main constituent, the People’s Protection Units (YPG), as an extension of the Turkey-based Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a terrorist group that has been labeled a terrorist by Washington and Ankara.
The United States, on the other hand, differentiates between the two Kurdish groups. The SDF has been a major US ally in the war against Islamic State.
The reason for the attack on the civilian vehicle in Kamishli is unknown, although local sources claim that the victims were tied to a high-ranking YPG commander.
Turkish forces and allied Syrian militias have been controlling parts of northeastern Syria since October 2019, following a massive military offensive against SDF members.
Tensions between the SDF and Turkish-backed forces have risen in recent weeks. Turkish officials have also indicated a possible push into Kurdish-controlled territory in northeastern Syria.
This story originated in the VOA’s Kurdish service.
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