ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - The Journalists Union of Turkey on Friday announced that two Kurdish journalists from the country’s southeast region were killed the day earlier while covering clashes between Turkey-backed Syrian opposition groups and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) near the Tishrin Dam, east of Aleppo.
The association identified the slain journalists as Nazim Dastan and Cihan Bilgin, saying they were killed after their vehicle was hit in an airstrike.
"We condemn the attack. Journalists cannot be subjected to attack while performing a sacred duty. Those responsible must be found and tried," the union's branch in Diyarbakir said.
Hawar News Agency (ANHA), which is affiliated with Kurdish authorities of north and east Syria, reported that the two journalists were their employees.
They were “targeted by Turkish occupation aircraft,” ANHA reported. They had been "following up on the attacks of the Turkish occupation and its mercenaries on Tishrin Dam and Qarqozak Bridge since December 8."
"A Turkish occupation drone targeted the vehicle they were in at 3:20 pm on the road between Tishrin Dam and the town of Sarin, which led to their martyrdom and the injury of the vehicle's driver, Aziz Haj Bouzan,” ANHA said.
Clashes have erupted between the Kurdish forces and Turkish-backed rebel groups in SDF-controlled areas since the start of the anti-government group’s campaign in late November, causing massive casualties, and reportedly leading to the displacement of thousands of civilians.
Turkey said on Thursday that it would press on with military preparations in northern Syria against the SDF until they “disarm,” claiming that the Kurdish-led force is a security threat to Turkey.
The SDF, considered the Kurdish de facto army in Syria and the US’ primary ally in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS) in the country, controls the bulk of northeastern and eastern regions of Syria, amounting to a quarter of the country's territory.
The US has been working to mediate a ceasefire between the two sides. US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller on Tuesday told reporters that they were able to negotiate a truce for Manbij, one of the main areas where the SDF and the Turkish-backed groups have been clashing, which extends through the end of the week.
However, the Turkish defense ministry dismissed the claims that they had struck a truce with the SDF due to a US mediation.
It was "out of the question for us to meet with any terrorist organization,” the Turkish defense ministry said, referring to the SDF.
On Wednesday, US Senators Chris Van Hollen of the Democratic Party and Lindsey Graham of the Republican Party released a joint statement announcing their intent to introduce sanctions legislation against Turkey if Ankara does not cease its operations against Kurdish-led forces in Syria.
The semi-autonomous Kurdish enclave in Syria, known as Rojava, is protected by local police, the People’s Protection Units (YPG), and the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ), which later became part of the multi-ethnic and multi-religious SDF.
Turkey considers the YPG, which is the backbone of the SDF, as inextricably linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), however, the YPG insists that they merely subscribe to a similar ideology.
Telegram
