The assertion added that the Syrian Kurdish fighters had been in Iraq as a part of an “change of experience” within the combat in opposition to the militant Islamic state group. It recognized the killed commander as Sherfan Kobani, a cousin of SDF’s prime commander, Mazloum Abdi.

The SDF didn’t elaborate on the reason for the crash or present additional particulars. The group known as on native authorities in Iraq handy over the 9 our bodies so that they might be introduced dwelling for burial in Syria.

The SDF has been a foremost pressure within the combat in opposition to the militant Islamic State group in Syria and nonetheless carries out operations in opposition to the extremists. IS as soon as managed massive elements of Syria and Iraq beneath the extremists’ so-called caliphate and nonetheless has sleeper cells within the area. The militants continuously stage assaults, concentrating on Kurdish-led fighters in Syria, and likewise Iraqi forces and civilians in Iraq.

The SDF assertion is in sharp distinction to a report on Thursday from Iraqi Kurdish authorities, which mentioned that just one helicopter — an AS350 Eurocopter — had crashed in Iraq’s Dohuk province within the northern semi-autonomous Iraqi Kurdish area.

That report mentioned that not less than 5 folks, together with insurgents of Turkey’s outlawed Kurdistan Employee’s Celebration, or PKK, had been on board. Zagros Hiwa, a PKK spokesperson, mentioned Thursday the group doesn’t possess helicopters and that the PKK was additionally investigating the crash.

The PKK has been waging an insurgency in opposition to Turkey because the Nineteen Eighties and is taken into account a terrorist group by Ankara, the USA and the European Union. Its militants have established secure havens in northern Iraq and continuously come beneath assault by Turkey within the area.

Iraq’s authorities, the U.S-led coalition and Turkey had all denied possession of the helicopter.