60 Civilians Killed, Scores Wounded as ISIS Bombs NE Syrian Town

ISIS Said Attacks Targeted Kurdish Bases

On Thursday evening, ISIS vehicle bombs were detonated in three neighborhoods in the Kurdish-held town of Tel Tamar, in the northeastern Hasakeh Province of Syria. At the time, 15 were confirmed killed, though many were buried in the rubble, raising concerns about a higher toll.

Those predictions proved tragically accurate, as by Friday afternoon, the toll had risen to 60 civilians killed, and as many as 80 others wounded in the incident. ISIS has since confirmed its responsibility for the bombs, which were three trucks packed full of explosives, saying they targeted Kurdish bases.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that there was “confirmed information” about casualties among Kurdish security, though the exact figures are unclear. The attacks were in heavily populated areas, including a marketplace and near a hospital, leading to the massive civilian toll.

Earlier this week ISIS had reported advancing onto hills overlooking the town. It is common for ISIS to start launching bombings against a town in the days leading up to an assault, harming the morale of defense forces, and overwhelming the limited medical facilities of the towns even before fighting begins.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.