Menija Hajo Heidar, a senior leader of the Democratic Union Party (PYD), was killed during Turkish shelling in the Kurdish-majority city of Qamishli, according to local reports. Heidar, who served as a General Council member and Co-Chair of the PYD's Qamishli office, was reportedly killed alongside three others during a sit-in at the Tishrin Dam in support of Kurdish-led forces in the region.

The PYD, the political wing of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), confirmed Heidar’s death in an official statement. The party mourned her loss, describing her as a "committed struggler," and vowed to continue resisting what it called "Turkish aggression." The PYD also urged the international community to take action to stop ongoing hostilities in northern Syria.

The incident comes amid escalating tensions in the region, where Turkey has intensified military operations targeting Kurdish groups it associates with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Ankara considers the PYD and the SDF extensions of the PKK, which has led an insurgency within Turkey for decades.

Recent months have seen an increase in Turkish drone strikes and artillery shelling, with several prominent Kurdish leaders and fighters killed in targeted attacks. Kurdish groups have condemned these operations, accusing Turkey of destabilizing the region and undermining efforts to combat remnants of the Islamic State (IS).

The death of Heidar is expected to heighten already strained relations and draw further international attention to the ongoing conflict in northern Syria.