Turkey Kills 11 in Strikes Near Syria Border Outpost

12 strikes hit post near Kobane

Turkey has fired a flurry of 12 airstrikes against a Syrian border outpost near the Kurdish town of Kobane, killing at least 11 people. They were referred to as “fighters.”

Unclear from reports are whether the victims were Syrian soldiers or Kurdish YPG military. Three soldiers were reported slain. The Turkish Defense Ministry reported one Turkish soldier killed by Kurds in the area.

Turkey’s military operations in northern Syria are chiefly about targeting the Kurdish groups and undermining Kurdish autonomy. Turkey initially backed the rebels in Syria with an eye toward post-war Syria being much harsher toward regional autonomy in general.

Instead, US alignment with the Kurds left them with a lot of territory, and Turkey is still trying to roll that back. Turkey’s dependence on rebel support has meant Syria’s government naturally aligning with the Kurds, so either might be a target for the airstrikes.

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.