Two Kurdish journalists killed in suspected Turkish drone strike near Aleppo in Syria

Journalists Nazim Dashdan (left) and Jihan Belkin were killed near Aleppo on December 19, 2024, in a suspected Turkish drone attack on their vehicle. 

Kurdish journalists Nazim Dastan and Cihan Bilgin were killed in a suspected Turkish drone strike near Aleppo in northern Syria on December 19, 2024. They were covering clashes between Turkish-backed forces and Syrian Kurdish militias, part of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), near the Tishrin Dam, about 90 kilometers east of Aleppo. 

Both journalists had reported frequently on wars and conflicts in the region for various outlets. journalist Jihan Belkin, 28, was a reporter for the Hawar News Agency (ANHA), while Nazim Dashdan, 32, worked as a freelance journalist for several outlets including ANHA, Firat News Agency and Ronahi TV. 

ANHA is a news agency affiliated with the Kurdish administration in northeastern Syria and broadcasts in six different languages. ANHA, Firat News Agency and Ronahi TV are supporters of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which Türkiye declares a terrorist organisation.

🕯️Kurdish journalist Cîhan Bilgin's last video, taken about three hours before she was killed alongside her colleague Nazim Daştan in a Turkish drone strike near Kobani in northeastern Syria on 19 December, shows her commitment to exposing the brutality of the Turkish state in… pic.twitter.com/rturcWBPdA

— MedyaNews (@medyanews_) December 20, 2024

The manager of Belkin’s outlet, Hawar News Agency, Akram Barakat said the car was marked with ‘Press’ insignia. The pro-Kurdish DEM party in Turkey has condemned the attack on the journalists. Party co-chair Gulistan Kilic Kocigit called it a "crime against humanity" and urged Turkey to protect journalists and hold those responsible accountable.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has expressed concern over the killing of journalists Jihan Belkin and Nazim Dashdan in northern Syria. Their vehicle was attacked by a suspected Turkish drone. 

CPJ has called for an investigation into whether they were targeted for their work. "Journalists are civilians and must be protected at all times," said Gypsy Guillen Casar, CPJ Advocacy and Communications Director in New York. "We call on Turkish defense authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the killings of journalists Jihan Belkin and Nazim Dashdan in Syria. It is imperative to ensure that those responsible are held accountable."