Car Bomb Attack in Northeastern Syria Kills 6, Including 3 Children

The site of the bomb attack that occurred in Tal Abyad, Syria, last November. [Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] A car bomb attack occurred in northeastern Syria under Turkish military control, killing six people, according to a Syrian civil war monitoring group.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Syrian civil war monitoring group based in London, UK, reported on the 8th (local time) that six people died in a car bomb attack in Tal Abyad in northeastern Syria. Among them, three were children, and the other three had mutilated bodies, making it impossible to determine their ages. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights added, "More than 15 people were injured besides the deceased," and "some of them are in serious condition."

This area is currently under the control of the Turkish military. Although no group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far, the Turkish military suspects the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) or the People's Protection Units (YPG). The PKK is a Kurdish separatist armed organization within Turkey, regarded by Turkey as the greatest security threat.

In October last year, Turkey claimed that the Kurdish militias controlling northeastern Syria were a Syrian branch of the PKK and crossed the Syrian border to deploy troops and conduct operations. As a result, the Turkish military took control of a 120 km section between Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ayn, border towns in northeastern Syria, pushing the Kurds 30 km away from the Turkish border.

Subsequently, through Russian mediation, Turkey and the Kurds agreed to a ceasefire, but attacks by Kurdish forces hostile to Turkey continue in the region.