Turkish fighter jets strike Syrian Kurds, killing 12 people in Rojava

QAMISHLO, Syrian Kurdistan,— At least 12 people were killed Wednesday in airstrikes in the autonomous administration in Syrian Kurdistan (Rojava), with the Kurdish-led forces blaming Turkey for the attacks, according to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

The SDF reported that Turkish warplanes and drones carried out more than 16 strikes on a military position, residential areas, and a vehicle in the Al-Shaddadi region. The airstrikes killed four fighters, six civilian workers, and two shepherds, the group said.

The new Syrian Islamist government, which maintains close ties with Turkey, has called on Kurdish SDF armed groups to disarm and rejected their calls for autonomy in the region.

Turkey accuses the People’s Protection Units (YPG), which form the backbone of the U.S.-backed SDF, of having ties to Kurdish PKK militants in Turkey. Ankara has warned of potential military action against the group, though the SDF denies these claims.

Analysts say that Turkey, which refuses to grant constitutional recognition to its Kurdish population of over 23 million, fears that the establishment of an autonomous Kurdish region or state in Syrian Kurdistan could fuel separatist sentiments among its own Kurdish population.

Pro-Turkish Syrian Islamist factions, which are considered mercenary fighters for Turkey, launched an offensive against the SDF in November 2024. This came as a coalition of Islamist groups led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) advanced across the country and ultimately overthrew President Bashar al-Assad on December 8, 2024.

Since then, fighting has continued in Kurdish-controlled northern Syria despite U.S. attempts to broker a ceasefire.

The SDF, which played a significant role in the defeat of the Islamic State group in Syria, now controls substantial areas of the country.

Kurdish leaders have expressed a willingness to make concessions to the Turkey-allied Islamist administration in Damascus and are engaged in talks over several outstanding issues. However, the Islamist rulers in Damascus did not invite the Kurds to the National Dialogue Conference held in Damascus on Tuesday.

(With files from AFP | Agencies)