| Submit your comments on this article |
| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Turkey steps up attacks on Kurd forces in Tel Rifaat |
| 2017-02-16 |
| [ARA News] Turkey’s military forcers and allied rebels in Syria continued their offensive against the town of Tel Rifaat in northern Aleppo, targeting positions of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), local sources reported on Wednesday. The Turkish Army and Turkey-backed rebels of the Euphrates Shield have been bombing Tel Rifaat since Tuesday. SDF headquarters and residential buildings in Tel Rifaat were hit with dozens of mortar shells. The Turkish troops and allied rebels also used heavy artillery and machine guns in the offensive–aimed at driving the SDF out of the town. The number of casualties is still unknown. In the meantime, two Turkish cobra helicopters hit the village of Tal Alo in Syria’s northeastern Hasakah Governorate, close to the headquarters of the Arab Sanadid forces. The Turkish army has also entered Syrian territory near the Kurdish-held Afrin District in northwestern Aleppo, occupying several hectares of land since January, local sources reported. Also, Kurdish female fighters of the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ) on Monday clashed with Turkish Army forces near the town of Amude in Hasakah Governorate. “After three hours of sporadic clashes, the Turkish Army was forced to withdraw. They retreated towards the Turkish side of the border,” a YPJ officer told ARA News. The clashes followed an attempt by the Turkish military troops to enter the Kurdish territory in northeastern Syria, where Turkey continues to build a concrete wall alongside the borderline. Kurdish officials condemned the Turkish violations against border areas in northern Syria. |
| Posted by:badanov |