Official statements from the Turkish government or verified news reports

Journalists Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin Killed in Alleged Turkish Drone Strike in Northern Syria

Dec 20, 2024, 07:19 AM

On December 19, 2024, two journalists, Nazım Daştan and Hawar News Agency reporter Cihan Bilgin, were killed in a drone strike near the Tishrin Dam in the southern Kobane countryside of northern Syria. The attack occurred at approximately 15:20 local time as they were covering clashes between Kurdish-led forces and Turkish-backed militias. The driver of their vehicle, identified as Ezîz Hec Bozan, was injured in the incident. The journalists had been reporting on the escalating conflict in the region since December 8, amid heavy fighting near the dam between Turkish-backed Sunni militias and Kurdish-led forces.