ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A mother and her son were killed by a car bomb on an urban street in the city of Qamishli in northeast Syria (Rojava) on Wednesday, the security service (Asayish) of the Kurdish-held enclave stated. “According to the initial investigations conducted by our specialized teams, it was determined that the explosion was caused by a landmine planted inside the vehicle. Our forces have also launched an extensive investigation to uncover the circumstances surrounding this incident,” read a statement from the Asayish. Earlier on Wednesday, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that the car was targeted by a Turkish drone. Local media in Rojava also reported that Turkish drones conducted the attack. No group has claimed responsibility as of the time of this report. Ankara frequently carries out strikes in northern Syria on the grounds that it is targeting the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). The PKK is an armed group fighting for the increased rights of Kurds in Turkey. Ankara considers the group and its alleged offshoots in Syria as terrorist organizations and has carried out two major military operations against them since 2018. Islamic State (ISIS) militants also continue to pose a serious security threat in Rojava, including carrying out car bombings. Earlier on Wednesday, at least four people were killed in an unidentified strike that targeted a vehicle near a Syrian regime checkpoint on the Damascus-Beirut road, according to SOHR.
