Escalation between Turkish forces and the Kurdish-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) continues in Syria’s northern and northeastern regions.

On February 3, SDF fighters targeted a vehicle of the Turkish military that was moving along the border with the Syrian town of al-Darbasiyah, which is located in the northern al-Hasakah countryside. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) claimed that the attack resulted in casualties, without providing any addition details.

In an apparent response to the attack, a Turkish combat drone targeted a van that was carrying three fighters of the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ), one of the main factions of the SDF, near al-Darbasiyah. According to the SOHR, one of the YPJ fighters was killed while the other two were wounded along with the driver.

The current escalation in northern and northeastern Syria began on February 1, when several Turkish airstrikes targeted al-Malikiyah electrical substation in the northern countryside of al-Hasakah, killing four personnel of the SDF.

On February 2, a rocket strike attributed to the SDF killed nine people in the Turkish-occupied town of al-Bab in the northern Aleppo countryside. On the same day, the SDF shelled a Turkish border post, killing a Turkish service member. A Turkish combat drone also targeted a position of the SDF near the village of Qasr Muza in the northern Raqqa countryside.

It’s worth mentioning that between February 1 and 3, the Turkish military and its proxies shelled dozens of SDF-held towns and villages and towns in northern and northeastern Syria. Two posts of the Syrian Arab Army, located in the northeastern Aleppo countryside and the northern countryside of al-Hasakah, were also targeted. Three soldiers were reportedly wounded.

The escalation between Turkish forces and the SDF in northern and northeastern Syria could develop into a full-on military confrontation. This may be the main goal of Ankara.

Source: South Front