FILE PHOTO: Russian MI-24 attack helicopter over the Hmeimim air base in Syria © Dmitriy Vinogradov / Sputnik
On September 26 afternoon, Turkish-backed militants in northeastern Syria opened fire at two Russian military helicopters which were conducting a patrol over the region.
According to the Hawar News Agency, which is affiliated with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the incident took place near the town of Tell Tamr in the northern countryside of al-Hasakah. The helicopters returned fire then retreated to SDF-held areas. The Russian Military Police and the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) maintain several positions around the town.
The incident was likely a response to the recent Russian airstrikes on the Turkish-occupied area of Afrin, which claimed the lives of 11 Turkish-backed militants.
A few hours after the incident, Russian warplanes targeted a position of Turkish forces near the village of al-Dardarah to the north of Tell Tamer. The SAA also shelled the outskirts of the Turkish-occupied village.
الطيران الحربي الروسي يقصف للمرة الأولى مواقع للجيش الوطني السوري في قرية الدردارة قرب مدينة راس العين شمال الحسكة.#باز_الاخبارية pic.twitter.com/j4TI6SXYY2
— وكالة BAZ الاخبارية (@baznewz) September 26, 2021
The situation will likely esclate further in the upcoming few hours. The Russian Aerospace Forces will not likely let the incident go unpunished.
The attack on Turkish military helicopters was a blatant violation of the 2019 Russian-Turkish de-escalation agreement on northeastern Syria. Under the agreement, Russian forces are tasked with monitoring the ceasefire in the region.
