14 killed in attack on hospital in Syria, Turkey accuses Kurdish rebels

Sanaa/Ankara: – 14 people were killed in an attack on a hospital and residential area in the Afrin city of Syria. Strong reactions are being received on the international level as a hospital was the target of the attack. Turkey accused that the Kurdish rebels carried out this attack and launched attacks on the Tell Rifaat city of the Kurds. Meanwhile, a meeting of the NATO countries is scheduled to start in Brussels. Therefore, the attack just before the meeting and the accusations levelled by Turkey are being viewed with suspicion.

There were two major blasts in the Afrin city in northern Syria. The first blast targeted a residential area, and the second blast targeted a hospital. Fourteen people were killed, and 27 were injured in the blasts. Photographs of the explosions have been posted on social media, and they show major damages caused to the area. No organisation has accepted responsibility for the blasts.

But Turkey held YPG and PKK, both Kurdish organisations, responsible for the blasts. The Turkish defence ministry accused these two banned terrorist organisations of perpetrating this war crime with an artillery attack. Turkish defence ministry denounced the cowardly attacks and declared that action would be taken against the Kurds. But the Syrian Kurds, who have aligned with the Assad government in Syria, have dismissed the Turkish accusations.

Within a few hours of these attacks, Turkey launched attacks on the Kurdish locations in Tell Rifaat city. The number of casualties in the Turkish attacks has not been reported. Turkey has a base in the Hatay province of Syria, adjacent to Tell Rifaat city. Turkey has started this campaign for a few years to gain control over the north Syrian region under Kurdish control. Turkey is launching attacks on the Kurdish locations in Syria and Iraq, holding them responsible for the attacks.

NATO meeting is scheduled to start in Brussels in the next few hours. The heads of state of NATO countries will be participating in the meeting. The Turkish accusations against the Kurds just before the meeting become significant.