A Bayraktar Akıncı combat drone. Source: the Turkish Ministry of National Defense.
On October 2, Turkish combat drones carried out a series of airstrikes against the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Syria’s northern region.
The drone strikes targeted several positions of the Kurdish-led group in the town of Tell Rifaat and the nearby village of al-Baylona in the northern Aleppo countryside. The strike caused some material losses. However, no casualties were reported.
The strikes were a response to an attack with an anti-tank guided missile that targeted Turkish troops near the village of Abla in northern Aleppo countryside early in the morning. The attack claimed the life of Turkish police officer Mustafa Calisgan. The SDF was blamed for the attack.
This was the first wave of Turkish airstrikes to hit SDF-held areas in northern Syria in October. Last month, two similar aerial attacks were reported.
On September 18, several airstrikes hit positions of the SDF and the Syrian government forces near the town of Kobane in the northeastern Aleppo countryside. Two soldiers and several Kurdish fighters were killed as a result of the airstrikes. Later on September 22, a second wave of airstrikes targeted SDF positions in the outskirts of the town of Maraanaz in the northern countryside of Aleppo. No casualties were reported this time.
Turkey is apparently trying to deter and intimidate the SDF with its air power because it can’t currently launch a new ground operation against the group.
Turkey reported using the Akinci to target terrorists in Syria. Many more terrors will die now that the Akinci has joined the fight. With its massive payload and advanced ammunitions, large areas will be wiped out in one single strike.