Attack in Northern Syria Leaves at Least 13 Dead, Dozens Wounded

At least 13 people were killed and over 30 were injured on Saturday in two separate rocket attacks in Turkish-controlled northern Syria, blamed by Ankara on Kurdish forces fighting Turkish occupation in the region. The strikes, which reportedly included artillery fire and at least two missiles, targeted a residential area and the local al-Shifa hospital in the city of Afrin. The Kurdish YPG group, which is part of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces opposing President Bashar al-Assad, did not claim responsibility for the incident. The organization is designated by Turkey as a branch of the outlawed PKK group fighting for Kurdish independence from within Turkey. The PKK is also considered a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union. In 2019, three days after the American withdrawal from northern Syria, Turkish forces launched an offensive aimed at clearing the border area of Kurdish fighters and resettling millions of Syrian refugees who had fled to Turkey. The operation was condemned globally and eventually brought to a halt by Russia, which reached an agreement with Ankara over joint patrols in the area. Turkey retains the captured territory to this day, deploying thousands of troops.