Today’s news round provides an in-depth look at escalating tensions and conflicts across Syria. From Turkish military strikes targeting key facilities in northeastern Syria to Ankara’s veiled warnings to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) regarding their actions near the de-escalation zones, the situation continues to evolve. We also cover diplomatic developments, including a message from China’s Premier to Syrian leadership, and international reactions to the refugee crisis and violence in the region. Additionally, the U.S. expresses concern over the ongoing Syrian refugee crisis in Lebanon, emphasizing the challenges and dangers faced by those displaced.
Turkey steps up strikes on PKK in Iraq, Syria after Ankara attack
Turkey launched fresh air strikes on Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants in northern Syria and Iraq overnight, killing 59 militants, in response to a gun attack that killed five people in Ankara, the Defence Ministry said on Thursday, according to Reuters.
Two assailants – a man and a woman – carried out Wednesday’s assault with automatic rifles and explosives on the headquarters of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAS) in Ankara. Twenty-two people were also wounded.
There has been no claim of responsibility for the attack, during which both militants were killed. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said the male attacker was confirmed to be a PKK member, while the female assailant had not yet been identified.
Turkish forces struck 29 PKK targets in northern Iraq and 18 in northern Syria, Defence Minister Yasar Guler said. Later, his ministry said 59 militants, including two believed to be “high level”, were “neutralised”, a term usually used to mean killed.
The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said on Thursday that the Turkish strikes in northern and eastern Syria had killed 12 civilians, including two children, and wounded 25 people.
Spearheaded by the Kurdish YPG and including Arab fighters, the SDF has been a major partner for the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State. It holds a quarter of Syria including oil fields and areas where some 900 U.S. troops are deployed.
At least a dozen civilians killed in Turkish strikes, says Kurdish-led Syria force
At least 12 civilians were killed in Turkish air strikes in northeastern Syria on Thursday, according to the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces. The attack comes a day after Turkey launched air strikes on Kurdish militants in Iraq and Syria, blaming them for an attack that killed five people at a defense firm near Ankara, AFP reported.
The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces said Thursday that Turkish air strikes killed 12 civilians in northeastern Syria, following a deadly attack on a defense firm near Ankara.
“Over the past hours… a new wave of (Turkish) attacks on northern and eastern Syria” killed “12 civilians, including two children”, and wounded 25 others, a statement from the US-backed force said.
“In addition to populated areas, Turkish warplanes and UAVs (drones) targeted bakeries, power stations, oil facilities and (Kurdish) Internal Security Force checkpoints,” the statement added, also reporting Turkish shelling.
Turkey launched air strikes on Kurdish militants in Iraq and Syria Wednesday blaming them for an attack that killed five people at a defence firm near Ankara.
A further 22 people were wounded in the attack, which the government said was “very likely” carried out by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
Hours later, “an air operation was carried out against terrorist targets in the north of Iraq and Syria,” the defence ministry said in a statement.
“A total of 32 targets belonging to the terrorists were successfully destroyed.”
Israel strikes Damascus, military site near Homs, Syrian defense says
Israel reportedly carried out air strikes on targets in Damascus and a military site near the western city of Homs early on Thursday, killing one soldier and injured seven, Iran International reported.
Syrian government sources said the strikes caused “material damage” including to a residential building in the central Damascus neighborhood od Kafr Sousa.
While Israel does not comment on alleged operations in Syria, the Jewish state has been carrying out strikes against Iranian-linked targets in Syria for more than a decade as Iran has increased its presence since the Syrian civil war began in 2011.
Raids have also ramped up since last year’s October 7 attack on Israel by Palestinian militant group Hamas, designated as “terrorist” by countries including the US and UK, which sparked the Gaza war.
Since then, Iran’s proxies around the region have been targeting the country from across its borders, including designated groups such as Yemen’s Houthis and militias in Syria and Iraq.
Syrian state television on Monday reported a missile strike on a car in the Mazzeh area of Damascus. In a rare announcement, Israel’s military said the attack killed a Hezbollah commander responsible for weapons transfer from Iran.
The Israeli military announced on Wednesday that it was conducting raids on underground hideouts containing weapons belonging to Lebanese Hezbollah’s Radwan Forces.
The bunker had been part of the operation named :Conquer the Galilee,” a plot to replicate October 7 from Israel’s north by the group designated by countries including the UK and US.
U.S. Expresses Deep Concern Over Syrian Refugee Crisis in Lebanon and Escalation of Violence in Syria
In a statement at the UN on October 23, 2024, Ambassador Robert Wood, the U.S. Alternative Representative for Special Political Affairs, expressed deep concern over the plight of Syrian refugees in Lebanon and the continued violence in Syria. Wood highlighted the dangerous conditions facing refugees and displaced Lebanese civilians, many forced to choose between insecurity in Lebanon or Syria.
The U.S. has provided $534 million in humanitarian aid for Syrian refugees, urging other donors to address significant funding gaps. Wood also condemned abuses against returnees to Syria and criticized the Assad regime for detaining them arbitrarily. He acknowledged recent steps by the Syrian government, such as suspending exploitative fees for returnees, but stressed that more work is needed to ensure safe and voluntary returns.
The ambassador also denounced Russian and regime attacks in northwest Syria, which have caused civilian deaths and infrastructure damage, including the destruction of a key power plant. He reiterated that these attacks, disguised as counterterrorism, continue to devastate civilians.
In the political arena, Wood called for renewed efforts to restart Syria’s Constitutional Committee and accused the Assad regime of obstructing progress through corruption and violence. He reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to a political solution based on UN Security Council Resolution 2254 and concluded with a call for the immediate release of Austin Tice, a journalist abducted in Syria 12 years ago.