Mazloum Abdi condemns deadly Turkish drone attack in Kobane
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Mazloum Abdi, the general commander of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), on Thursday condemned a Turkish drone attack which had killed two civilians the day before. He called on the US and Russia to perform “their duty” of maintaining peace in the area.
“While Syrians are demanding stability, the Turkish invading [state] is violating agreements,” Abdi said in a tweet. “The bombardment of civilians in Kobane was a provocation, aimed at causing war.”
The attack targeted the vehicle of Judge Bakr Jarada, a member of the Social Justice Council, which is affiliated to the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (NES). It “severely injured” the local official and killed two civilians who were workers, according to a statement by the Council.
Kobane is one of the areas guaranteed by Russia as per their ceasefire deal with Turkey in October 2019 - which ended Turkey’s military offensive against the SDF in northern Syria. The US also struck a deal with Turkey in the same month to end the military campaign.
Washington and Moscow are now the guarantors of both ceasefires. The SDF has said it is committed to the ceasefire.
Abdi called on the US and Russia to fulfill their responsibilities by stopping Turkish attacks.
The assault follows Ankara’s fresh threats of military force against Kurdish forces in Syria. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has blamed the People’s Protection Units (YPG) for the death of two Turkish policemen on the Syrian border last week.
The YPG, the backbone of the SDF, is a Kurdish armed force in northeastern Syria. Ankara considers it to be the Syrian extension of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), named a terrorist group in Turkey. Ankara has used this alleged link as a pretext for multiple military operations across the border into Rojava.
“While Syrians are demanding stability, the Turkish invading [state] is violating agreements,” Abdi said in a tweet. “The bombardment of civilians in Kobane was a provocation, aimed at causing war.”
The attack targeted the vehicle of Judge Bakr Jarada, a member of the Social Justice Council, which is affiliated to the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (NES). It “severely injured” the local official and killed two civilians who were workers, according to a statement by the Council.
Kobane is one of the areas guaranteed by Russia as per their ceasefire deal with Turkey in October 2019 - which ended Turkey’s military offensive against the SDF in northern Syria. The US also struck a deal with Turkey in the same month to end the military campaign.
Washington and Moscow are now the guarantors of both ceasefires. The SDF has said it is committed to the ceasefire.
Abdi called on the US and Russia to fulfill their responsibilities by stopping Turkish attacks.
The assault follows Ankara’s fresh threats of military force against Kurdish forces in Syria. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has blamed the People’s Protection Units (YPG) for the death of two Turkish policemen on the Syrian border last week.
The YPG, the backbone of the SDF, is a Kurdish armed force in northeastern Syria. Ankara considers it to be the Syrian extension of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), named a terrorist group in Turkey. Ankara has used this alleged link as a pretext for multiple military operations across the border into Rojava.