Explosion at Sulaymaniyah airport targets SDF commander
The Commander-in-Chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces, Mazloum Abdi. Photo: AFP
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – An explosion occurred near Sulaymaniyah International Airport’s outer fence in the Kurdistan region on Friday reportedly targeting the commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The authorities of Sulaymaniyah International Airport mentioned that the explosion did not cause any casualties or injuries, the Iraqi News Agency (INA) reported.
INA added that the explosion caused a fire, but civil defense teams stationed at the airport immediately controlled the fire.
The explosion was caused by a missile fired from a drone, targeting the Commander-in-Chief of the SDF, Mazloum Abdi, Baghdad Today reported.
A source told Baghdad Today that a drone targeted the commander of the SDF who spent some time in Sulaymaniyah and was intending to return to Qamishli International Airport in northern Syria.
The source clarified that a Turkish plane targeted Abdi with a missile at Sulaymaniyah airport while he was trying to return to Syria.
The source added that Abdi returned to northern Syria without any injuries, and was transported by a US plane.
Turkey announced the suspension of its flights to Sulaymaniyah International Airport in the Kurdistan region, as of April 3.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry mentioned in a statement that the decision was made to respond to the activities of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in Sulaymaniyah and the threat it poses to the security of aviation.
Turkey classifies the PKK as a terrorist organization and accuses it of killing more than 40 thousand people since 1984.