Turkey has launched over 1,000 strikes in northern Syria, targeting areas controlled by the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES). The strikes have resulted in significant civilian casualties, damage to infrastructure and disruption of counter-terrorism efforts against the Islamic State (ISIS), AANES authorities reported.
In a public statement from Raqqa on Sunday, AANES condemned the Turkish attacks, detailing 1,031 individual strikes over the past few days, resulting in 17 deaths and 65 injuries. According to the report, Turkish forces carried out 118 drone strikes, 20 air raids and fired 893 mortar and artillery shells across the region.
AANES also highlighted the escalating threat to vital facilities and services, stressing that Turkey’s attacks target key infrastructure – such as power grids and water supplies – on which millions of people rely. The ongoing strikes have left around 150,000 families without electricity in major cities, including Qamıshli (Qamişlo), Kobani (Kobanê), Amuda (Amûdê) and Derbasiyah (Dirbêsiyê). Water shortages have also been reported, exacerbating the impact on the population, including internally displaced persons (IDPs) living within the borders of AANES.
AANES officials expressed alarm at the disruption to local counter-terrorism operations. The Turkish strikes have severely disrupted stabilisation efforts in areas where local security forces, supported by the Global Coalition Against Daesh (ISIS), have been working to contain the resurgence of ISIS sleeper cells. The attacks have also damaged detention facilities holding ISIS members, posing a significant risk to the already fragile security environment in the area.
“The unprovoked attacks are aimed at exacerbating economic hardship,” the AANES statement said, warning that these conditions could facilitate ISIS activities. AANES called on international bodies, including the Global Coalition, Russia and humanitarian organisations, to intervene, investigate and take immediate action to prevent further aggression.
International organisations have expressed alarm at the potential for a humanitarian crisis and urged Turkey to cease hostilities that could endanger civilians. The United States, a key partner of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) working with AANES, has emphasised the need for restraint given the region’s role in counter-terrorism efforts.
Turkey’s recent strikes underscore the complex and fragile nature of the situation in northern Syria, where the needs of millions of civilians, regional security dynamics and global counter-terrorism efforts intersect. The international community now faces increased pressure to mediate and mitigate the humanitarian impact of the ongoing hostilities.
