A top Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) commander was killed on Friday in a suspected Turkish drone strike in northeast Syria.
The official died by a Turkish drone attack on Friday while leaving his home in Azadi Square in al-Malikiyah in the Hasakah countryside, within the areas of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), also known as Rojava.
A child and a woman were also injured in the attack.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that the commander worked as a coordinator between the SDF and global coalition forces in Syria, and he had previously been the target of a Turkish drone strike.
The Observatory reported that Turkish forces attacked an agricultural company in Zaghat village in al-Malikiyah (Dayrek) amid reports of the injury of several people. Plumes of smoke were seen rising from the targeted site, and ambulances rushed to transport the injured people.
The number of attacks carried out by Turkish drones in areas controlled by the SDF in northern and northeastern Syria has risen to 92 since early 2023, resulting in the deaths of 77 people and the injury of 85.
On Thursday, Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported that the Turkish drone strikes on areas controlled by the SDF damaged critical infrastructure and resulted in water and electricity disruptions for millions of people.
Türkiye escalated its drone strikes starting on Oct. 5 in response to an attack on the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) attack against the Interior Ministry in Ankara on Oct. 1.
HRW noted that the October 2023 strikes are also not the first time Turkiye appears to have intentionally targeted civilian infrastructure.
Airstrikes in November 2022 also inflicted damage on densely populated areas and critical infrastructure.
The organization called on Turkiye to stop targeting critical infrastructure necessary for residents' rights and well-being, including power and water stations.
Meanwhile, the Turkish Defense Ministry announced the killing of three members of the Kurdish People's Protection Units while they were trying to attack the area of the Olive Branch.
- Escalation in Idlib
The Syrian forces and Russian warplanes continued their escalation, exchanging fire with the armed opposition factions in Idlib in the de-escalation zones in northwestern Syria, known as the "Putin-Erdogan" area.
On Friday, the Syrian forces bombed several areas, including al-Qusour, Wadi al-Naseem, and al-Thawra neighborhoods, resulting in significant material damage. Rescue teams were unable to reach the targeted places due to the repeated bombings.
The Syrian Observatory reported that 12 people were injured, including a media activist who was in serious condition.
The al-Fath al-Mubin factions targeted with missiles the military security branch inside Khan Sheikhoun in Idlib, under the control of the Syrian army.
The Syrian forces bombed about 100 shells on the al-Fatira axis in the southern countryside of Idlib.
In response, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) targeted the Syrian forces with artillery and missiles in the eastern countryside of Idlib and areas in the Jurin district of the Hama countryside.
The Syrian forces responded and bombed Sarmin and its environs.
The Observatory indicated that an HTS member was killed in a bombing by Syrian forces targeting the vicinity of Kafr Taal in Aleppo.
