Syria: Suspected Turkish Drone Strike Seriously Injures Journalist Dalila Agid, Kills Driver

The Coalition For Women In Journalism strongly condemns the attack on journalists and calls for urgent investigation by Turkish authorities

Location: Syria, Qamishli
Date: August 23, 2023

Jin TV journalist Dalila Agid loses arm to a suspected Turkish drone strike at the Syrian-Turkish border. The attack resulted in the instant death of the driver. The Coalition For Women In Journalism demands a transparent investigation into this assault and urges Turkish authorities to determine whether the JIN TV crew was deliberately targeted for their work.

On August 23, a JIN TV vehicle was struck by a suspected Turkish drone, leaving its reporter  Dalila Agid critically wounded and claiming the life of Najm el-Din Faisal Haj Sinan. The incident occurred on a road near Qamishli, a Kurdish city in northeast Syria.

At the time of the attack, the JIN TV crew was en route to cover an event commemorating the deaths of two Kurdish officials who were victims of a previous Turkish drone attack in June.

Dijla Eito, from the Kurdish television channel led by women journalists, says Agid briefly awoke after sustaining severe injuries to her neck and losing her left arm in the strike. She quickly slipped back into unconsciousness due to numerous explosive fragments embedded in her body and is currently in an intensive care unit in Qamishli Hospital.

In response to the strike, local journalists in Qamishli protested and demanded greater protection for media personnel in northeast Syria. Dilyar Jaziri, co-president of the Union of Free Media (YRA), emphasized the risks faced by reporters in the region. He expressed concern that these attacks not only endanger the lives of journalists but also hinder the free flow of information from this volatile part of Syria.

The Kurdish-led autonomous administration in northeastern Syria condemned the attack and called on the international community to intervene and ensure accountability.

Türkiye has not commented on this specific attack. However, it has previously stated that its strikes in northern Syria target Kurdish fighters, whom they consider terrorists. Multiple journalists have been killed or injured by Turkish drones while reporting in Kurdish regions. 

Since January, Türkiye has conducted 37 drone strikes in areas controlled by Kurdish forces in northern Syria, resulting in 54 fatalities.

Ankara claims that its strikes aim to target individuals and locations connected to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which they view as a threat.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism has observed the concerning persecution of Kurdish women journalists by Turkish state within Türkiye. Kiran Nazish, the founding director of CFWIJ, explains that data from the past four years indicates that 60 to 80% of targeted women journalists in Türkiye are Kurdish. Many of these journalists are falsely accused of being PKK members simply for reporting on their community or using their native language.

We express our deepest condolences to the family of Najm el-Din Faisal Haj Sinan and extend our concerns for the well-being of Dalila Agid after this appalling attack. The Coalition For Women In Journalism calls on Turkish authorities to provide answers. A transparent investigation is crucial to determine why the JIN TV vehicle was targeted and who is responsible for considering journalists as targets. Our thoughts are with Sinan's family, and we wish Dalila Agid a full recovery.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.

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