Northeastern Syria Attack Claims Lives Of Three Turkish Service Members (Photos)

Turkish forces are seen near Mount Barsaya, northeast of Afrin, Syria January 23, 2018. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi

On January 8, three service members of the Turkish Armed Forces were killed and another was wounded as a result of an attack in Syria’s northeastern region.

A large explosion, caused by a heavy improvised explosive device, struck a vehicle that was carrying the four Turkish service members as it was passing along a border post located near the town of Tell Abyad in the northern countryside of Raqqa.

Syria: powerful blast which killed 3 Turkish soldiers today near Tell Abyad crossing breached the border wall. pic.twitter.com/rovT0cKk5O

— QalaatM (@QalaatM) January 8, 2022

In an official statement, the Turkish Ministry of National Defense said that the attack was carried out by “terrorists” without elaborating.

Meanwhile, Syrian and Turkish activists claimed that the attack was orchestrated by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) which control most of northeastern Syria.

A series of Turkish artillery strikes that targeted Kobane and other SDF-held towns and villages in the northeastern countryside of Aleppo in the morning of January 8 may have been a response to the attack. The strikes killed a civilian and wounded 11 others.

The Turkish military and its proxies may use the deadly attack as a pretext to justify a large-scale military operation against the SDF in northern and northeastern Syria. Last year, several reports revealed that Ankara had been preparing for a new operation against the group.

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