ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdish security forces (Asayish) on Monday said a Turkish drone targeted one of their vehicles in Kobane city, killing two of their members. Asayish said in a statement that the two members were hospitalized after being hit by a Turkish drone in Kobane, adding that the strike was aimed at “distracting our forces from carrying out their duties during this period in which municipal elections are going to be held.” It also claimed that Ankara wants to pave the way for the “terrorists and criminals” to harm the security of northeast Syria (Rojava). Turkey had no immediate statement on the strike. The bombardment comes amid a surge in Turkish attacks on the Kurdish self-administration which is set to hold local polls on June 11 - a move Ankara claims will pose a threat to its national security. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday signalled a fresh offensive in Rojava if Kurdish authorities go ahead with the vote. Erdogan said on Thursday that Ankara is “closely following the aggressive actions by the terrorist organization against the territorial integrity of our country and of Syria under the pretext of an election,” according to The Associated Press. The Rojava government has responded to Turkey’s concerns and denied that the elections pose a threat. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said that multiple Turkish drone attacks in and around Hasaka and Qamishli cities killed four of their members and injured 11 civilians on Friday. Washington has urged the Syrian Kurds not to proceed with the local polls at this time, citing a lack of fair and free conditions. Salih Muslim, co-chair of Rojava’s ruling Democratic Union Party (PYD) told the ANF news outlet on Saturday that Washington’s reaction was a “diplomatic discourse and aimed at not provoking Turkey.” He stressed that Rojava “is going to hold elections according to its own conditions. Such an election is taking place without anyone's support or consultation.”
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