• Army describes incident as 'dangerous escalation' and 'clear violation' of ceasefire by SDF

ISTANBUL

Seven Syrian soldiers were killed and 20 others wounded in a drone attack by the YPG/SDF terrorist group targeting an ammunition site in the northeastern Hasakah province, the Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.

The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), citing the ministry’s Media and Communications Department, said army units discovered a workshop for manufacturing improvised explosive devices and drone munitions near the al-Yarubiyah border crossing in the Hasakah countryside.

The facility, the ministry said, contained several Iranian-made drones that the SDF was preparing to arm.

After troops began securing and sweeping the site, the SDF targeted it with a suicide drone, killing seven soldiers and injuring 20 others, it added.

In a separate statement, the army’s Operations Command described the incident as a “dangerous escalation” and a “clear violation” of the ceasefire, saying the SDF continues attacks on Syrians and their army and disregards all previous agreements, according to the news agency.

The attack came after the Syrian presidency said on Tuesday that a “mutual understanding” has been reached with the SDF group regarding the future of the Hasakah province.

The Defense Ministry also announced a four-day ceasefire with the SDF, which took effect at 8 pm local time (1700GMT) on Tuesday.