2024 Kobani offensive

2024 Kobani offensive
Part of Operation Dawn of Freedom and Turkish involvement in the Syrian civil war
Controlled by the Syrian Interim Government   Controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces
Date 9 December 2024 – ongoing Location Ayn al-Arab District in eastern Aleppo Governorate, Syria Status Airstrikes across Kobanî and in the countryside, SNA ground operations against the Tishrin Dam
Belligerents
Syrian National Army Turkey	Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria
Units involved
Syrian National Army	Syrian Democratic Forces
Casualties and losses
Unknown	23 killed
Two children

The 2024 Kobani offensive is an ongoing military campaign conducted by the pro-Turkish Syrian National Army (SNA) and the Turkish Air Force against Syrian Democratic Forces following the successful 2024 Manbij offensive. The offensive was launched with the intent to capture the Kurdish-majority city of Kobanî and positions in Ayn al-Arab District to the east of the Euphrates. The offensive was initiated with numerous airstrikes across the Kobanî countryside and on the Tishrin Dam standing on the Euphrates between recently captured Manbij District territories and the Ayn al-Arab District.

Offensive

Beginning on 9 December, pro-Turkish Syrian National Army (SNA) military forces conducted drone strikes against the Tishrin Dam on the Euphrates, resulting in severe damage to its electrical generation infrastructure. The attack rendered the facility partially inoperative, causing widespread power outages across numerous population centers dependent on the dam for electricity. Dam personnel became trapped within the facility due to the surrounding combat operations, prompting urgent appeals from its staff to stop all combat operations at the dam due to its importance as essential civilian infrastructure across the region. On 9 December, eleven SDF fighters were also killed in a Turkish drone strike on an SDF position near Qarquzaq bridge east of Manbij.

Kobani, Ayn Issa, Zormixar, Berkel Hill, Miştenûr Hill, and the Qereqozax bridge and nearby positions were bombarded with UAVs on the same day. Three Internal Security Forces soldiers were killed in a drone strike on the Qereqozax bridge. Two children were killed by heavy weapons in Kon Eftar village on the outskirts of Kobani.

The airstrikes were coupled with ground operations by Turkish-backed factions to take the dam out of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) control and cross into Ayn al-Arab District, which reportedly led to the deaths of dozens of SNA troops and the destruction of several of their vehicles.

Also on 11 December, six fighters of the SDF's Manbij Military Council were killed in a Turkish drone strike near Qarquzaq bridge, south of Ayn al-Arab.

See also

Siege of Kobanî