Civilian killed, 7 injured in YPG/PKK attack in northern Syria
An internally displaced Syrian boy walks near tents at a makeshift camp in Azaz, Syria, Feb. 20, 2020. (Reuters File Photo)


One person died and seven others sustained injuries in an attack by the PKK terrorist organization's Syrian offshoot, the YPG, that targeted the Azaz district in northern Syria across Turkey's Kilis province on Wednesday.

The terrorists launched a mortar attack from the occupied Maraanaz district against the Turkey-backed opposition-controlled area at noon, Demirören News Agency (DHA) reported.

Civilians were injured when the mortar shell exploded on a street, the report said.

One person succumbed to their injuries, while the others were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.

Located across the Turkish border town of Kilis, the region hosts camps housing those fleeing Bashar Assad's regime and terrorist organizations.

YPG’s bomb attacks have plagued northern Syria, as the terrorist group regularly targets moderate opposition-held areas.

Since 2016, Turkey has launched a trio of successful counterterrorism operations across its border in northern Syria to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and enable the peaceful settlement of residents – namely, the Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018) and Peace Spring (2019) operations.

In its more than 40-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union – has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.

Local people living in areas held by the YPG have long suffered from its atrocities, as the terrorist organization has a notorious record of human rights abuses, ranging from kidnappings, recruitment of child soldiers, torture, ethnic cleansing and forced displacement in Syria.

The U.S. has primarily partnered with the YPG in northern Syria in the fight against the Daesh terrorist group. Turkey strongly opposes the YPG's presence in northern Syria, which has been a major sticking point in strained Ankara-Washington relations. The U.S. has provided military training and thousands of truckloads of weaponry to the YPG, despite its NATO ally's security concerns.