Qarachok Attacks: Beginning of Turkish escalation against Rojava

With the launch of the Rojava Revolution on July 19, 2012, the Turkish occupation state moved, according to political and military sources in North and East Syria, to use its intelligence agencies to undermine the achievements of the revolution by supporting multiple actors, foremost among them ISIS mercenaries.

As popular resistance expanded and the components of North and East Syria united, frustrating various plots aimed at destabilizing the region, the Turkish occupation state turned to the option of direct military intervention. The clearest early sign of this came in the aerial assault on Mount Qarachok on April 25, 2017.

Details of the Night of the Attack

At exactly 2:00 a.m. on April 25, 2017, the General Command headquarters of the People’s Protection Units (YPG) and Women’s Protection Units (YPJ) on Mount Qarachok, near the city of Derik in Jazira, came under a large-scale air assault carried out by 26 Turkish warplanes.

The strike targeted a site containing multiple military and media facilities. Among those hit were the YPG Media Center, the “Voice of Rojava” radio station, a printing press, as well as other military and service institutions.

According to the units’ media center, the attack resulted in the martyrdom of 20 fighters from the YPG and YPJ, in addition to war correspondents at the media center, while 18 other fighters were wounded.

Among those killed was prominent YPG commander Rustem Zidan (Mohammed Khalil), who had played a key role in leading battles against ISIS mercenaries, particularly on the fronts of Raqqa, then considered the group’s main stronghold.

Turkish Attacks to Support ISIS Mercenaries

Many politicians and analysts stated that the timing of the strike was not accidental, but was linked to an attempt to influence the course of the battles and ease pressure on ISIS mercenaries.

The attack came at an extremely sensitive moment, as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) were making notable field advances during the “Wrath of Euphrates” campaign to liberate Raqqa, while tightening their siege on ISIS in the cities of Tabqa and Raqqa.

In an official statement, the SDF said the attack aimed to obstruct the progress of the military campaign against ISIS and weaken ongoing coordination with the International Coalition by creating confusion on the ground.

Public Reaction

Following the news of the bombing, North and East Syria witnessed widespread public anger. Convoys of residents from different communities—Kurds, Arabs, and Syriacs—headed toward Mount Qarachok to express their rejection of the attack.

Tens of thousands also took to public squares and main streets, raising slogans condemning the assault and demanding the imposition of a no-fly zone to protect the region from repeated airstrikes.

During a field visit to the bombing site by SDF Commander-in-Chief Mazloum Abdi and a delegation from the International Coalition, residents voiced their resentment over the silence of the international community, holding the United States and the Coalition responsible for failing to take deterrent measures, particularly given Turkey’s membership in NATO.

In the same context, 23 political bodies and civil organizations—including the Democratic Union Party (PYD), the Syriac Union Party, the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Party, and Kongra Star—issued official demands to the International Coalition to impose a no-fly zone over Rojava to protect civilians from repeated aerial threats.

This anniversary has since become a national day for the people of Rojava under the name “Day of the Martyrs.”

Direct Turkish Attacks on Rojava

These attacks can be seen as a prelude to broader assaults launched by the Turkish occupation state against Rojava, in parallel with military operations against ISIS mercenaries.

The attacks on Mount Qarachok were followed by a ground military intervention to occupy the city of Afrin, which began on January 20, 2018—nine months after the Qarachok strikes.

This was followed by the occupation of the cities of Serêkaniyê and Girê Spî on October 9, 2019, leading to a series of crimes and violations on every level, including killings, kidnappings, forced displacement, and demographic change.

Drone War

Afterward, between 2020 and 2023, the Turkish occupation state entered a new phase of targeting revolution leaders through drone strikes. This came after ground attacks had largely halted due to international understandings (Russian-Turkish and American-Turkish).

The Turkish occupation state targeted leading military and political figures in Rojava. Among the most prominent was martyr Jiyan Tolhildan, Commander-in-Chief of the Anti-Terror Forces (YAT), who was martyred on July 22, 2022, in Qamishlo.

Also among those targeted was Karker Tolhildan, one of the founders and commanders of the Afrin Liberation Forces, who was martyred on June 10, 2023, in Shahba.

Imposing a Reality of Migration

Turkish occupation attacks further expanded between 2023 and 2025, targeting all public facilities and infrastructure in Rojava, including mills, grain silos, water pumping stations, power points, most notably the Suwaydiyah electricity generation station, as well as oil facilities.

The aim of the Turkish occupation was to economically undermine the Autonomous Administration project and strip the region of the means of life, pushing residents toward migration.

Day of Renewed Commitment… The Day of the Martyrs

Up to this moment, Turkish attacks continue to follow a pattern described as “hybrid warfare,” combining psychological warfare based on threats to repeat occupation scenarios, support for parties opposed to the Democratic Nation project, and intelligence operations intended to damage the rich social fabric of the region’s communities.

Although April 25 carries painful memories for the people of Rojava, it is also regarded as a day to renew the pledge to continue holding fast to the path of resistance against genocide, by commemorating the sacrifices of the martyrs of the July 19 Revolution under the name Day of the Martyrs.

ANHA