YPG/PKK attacks target northern Syria despite ceasefire extension

The YPG/PKK terror group has carried out a series of attacks using drones and rockets in northern Syria's Aleppo province, targeting civilian areas despite a recently extended ceasefire agreement with the Syrian government.

Details of the Drone and Rocket Assaults

According to Syria's state-run SANA news agency, the attacks on Sunday involved over 15 explosive drones targeting the town of Sarrin and surrounding villages, damaging civilian homes and vehicles. A mortar shell fired from YPG/PKK-controlled areas in Ayn al-Arab (Kobani) struck the entrance of al-Jamal village. The Syrian Civil Defense also reported a rocket hitting a house in the village of al-Hawi west of the Euphrates River. No casualties were initially reported from the strikes.

Timing Amid Ceasefire and Prisoner Transfer

The offensive came just one day after the Syrian Defense Ministry announced a 15-day extension of a ceasefire with the YPG/PKK. The extension is intended to support a complex US-led operation to transfer thousands of Daesh detainees from YPG/PKK-run prisons in northeastern Syria to secure facilities in Iraq. The initial truce had expired earlier on Saturday, with authorities considering their next steps before agreeing to the extension.

Background on the US-Led Detainee Transfer

The U.S. military's Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed the launch of this mission earlier in the week, stating it began by moving 150 Daesh fighters from a facility in Hasakah province to Iraq. The long-term plan involves relocating up to 7,000 detainees to Iraqi-controlled detention sites, an operation that requires a stable security environment, which the ceasefire is meant to provide.