Turkish troops participating in a joint Russia-Turkey patrol in the Syrian safe zone attacked and killed at least two protesters in the Syrian city of Kobani. The city of Kobani is overwhelmingly Kurdish.



The joint patrols have been facing protests in several towns in the safe zone, particularly Kurdish-populated areas, where the Turkish invaders are considered highly unwelcome after last month’s invasion.



The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported two killed and seven injured in the shooting incident on Tuesday. Turkey referred to the firing as the result of “provocation by terrorists.”



More interesting is the lack of response from Russia, whose participation in the patrols was seemingly meant to keep them on an even keel. The Russian Defense Ministry reported a patrol through Kobani, but didn’t even mention the shooting incident. Of course there is no sign Russians participated in the shooting, but they were still there and would seemingly have felt that worth reporting.



The Kurdish SDF was deeply critical of the matter, declaring in a statement “Turkish army is firing live bullets on Kurdish protesters and killing them in broad daylight.” That appears to be the size of it, and within the Syria safe zone, the new normal.



Author: Jason Ditz Jason Ditz is news editor of Antiwar.com. View all posts by Jason Ditz