Syrian Fighters Bomb Kurdish Positions in Hasakah for the First Time

Syrian fighters have bombed Kurdish positions in the city of Hasakah, located in northeastern Syria, for the first time in five years. This bombing follows several days of clashes between Kurdish forces and the Syrian army in the Hasakah region. The 'People's Protection Units' (YPG), the Kurdish military group, announced that Syrian government warplanes simultaneously targeted centers related to Kurdish security institutions known as 'Asayish' as well as Kurdish civilians. It is reported that several civilians have been killed and injured during these attacks. Redur Khalil, a spokesperson for the YPG, assessed these attacks as a 'reaction of the Syrian government to the liberation of the city of Manbij,' which was recently cleared of ISIS by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The SDF consists of Kurdish forces and their Arab allies and is also supported by the 'International Coalition Against ISIS.' In this context, Hoshang Hassan, a Kurdish journalist from Hasakah, told Radio Farda: 'The clashes in Hasakah began when a vehicle of the Kurdish forces was shot at by the Syrian army a few days ago. After that, the scope of the clashes widened, and the security forces and the YPG reacted to the attacks of the Syrian army.' According to Hoshang Hassan, clashes are still ongoing in some neighborhoods of Hasakah. Previously, Syrian government forces and Kurdish forces had clashed multiple times in Hasakah and also in the city of Qamishli. These clashes have usually ended with the mediation of local elders. The YPG has stated that clashes are still ongoing, and the Syrian army is shelling Kurdish positions. In this context, two explosions in the city of Qamishli have left dozens dead. The Kurds have officially declared a federal system in northern Syria.