On Thursday, 16th January 2025, Turkish warplanes and drones allegedly bombed civilians and shift workers at the Tishreen Dam, south of Manbij in the Aleppo countryside of Syria, killing from one to five civilians, and injuring up to 40, including women, children, and four journalists.

The initial reports said that one civilian was killed and at least ten others were injured, including media workers. Later updates by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and the Health Authority of Euphrates Canton raised the toll to five civilians killed and about forty injured, including women, children, and several journalists.

Hawar News and ANF reported the preliminary toll of one dead and ten injured, including four media staff. The Health Authority later issued a statement confirming five civilians killed and around forty wounded, noting that some could not be evacuated due to Turkish aircraft reportedly targeting ambulances.

SOHR highlighted that this incident was part of an unprecedented escalation of Turkish airstrikes in northern Syria.

Ronahi TV named three of the injured as journalists, including correspondent Laila Abdi. According to Kobani al-Hadath Facebook account, Laila was injured along with three other journalists. The source added an image of Laila, a young woman with long dark hair wearing a dark green pullover and black leggings. She is seen showing a victory sign, while her left leg was bandaged.

Additional images showed her colleagues, including a young man dressed in a black pullover with a “press” sign and grey trousers, who was sitting on the floor and also showing a victory sign. His left knee was bandaged. Another woman is also pictured sitting on her side while being treated for an injury to her side.

Hawar News published a graphic image which is partially blurred but shows someone with injuries to their chest and face being treated on the ground.

The Syrian Democratic Forces also condemned the strikes, saying six civilians had been killed over two days of attacks on the dam, warning of catastrophic repercussions if the bombardment of the infrastructure continued.

Facebook account Kobani al-Hadath published a video where a young man was reporting on the strike, with a number of vehicles being on fire right behind him. He was saying the following: “Turkish forces bombed the people heavily, and a civilian was killed, and many others were injured. You can see the effects of the shelling and the burning cars.”

Where sources identified the perpetrator, all attributed responsibility to the Turkish military.