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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Turkey increases attacks on Kurds in Kobane, Efrin |
| 2017-04-07 |
| [ARA News] The Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) on Thursday said that the Turkish army and Turkey-backed rebels have stepped up their attacks on the Kurdish positions near Kobane and Efrin, in northern Syria. “The invading Turkish army has attacked the Girêsor village to the east of Kobanê, and Çarıklı, Siftek and Boban villages to the west of Kobanê with heavy weaponry. Also, the Turkish aircraft carried several raids on the mentioned villages,” the YPG said in a statement. “meanwhile, gang groups acting under the command of the Turkish army attacked Martyr Şîlan hill in Efrîn’s Cindirêsê sub-district,” the YPG added. The YPG’s leadership reported that the the Turkish army and allied Syrian rebels continued to attack Kurdish ares near Efrin over the last few days. “On April 2, the invading Turkish army and affiliated gangs launched an attack on Ayn Deqnê, Vîla Qadî, Belûnê and Til Silor areas with mortars and heavy weapons,” the YPG said. “On April 3, Turkish troops attacked Efrîn’s Maranez and Şêwarxa villages with howitzer fire,” it added. “On April 4, gangs affiliated with the Turkish army attacked Maranez village again, and the YPG positions in Ayn Deqnê, Maranez and Belûnê villages at night. On April 5, Turkish army-affiliated gangs attacked Efrîn’s Malikiye and Maranez villages with howitzer fire,” the YPG said. Moreover, the Kurdish People’s Protection Units said that Turkish UAVs carried out reconnaissance activity over Maranez, Malikiye, Vila Qadi, Ayn Deqnê and Belûnîyê villages, which was followed a bombardment on these areas with howitzer fire. Clashes and tensions have continued between the Turkish-backed rebels and the YPG even after Turkey announced the end of the Euphrates Shield operation in northern Syria in late March. Furthermore, days after Turkey said it had ended the seven-month Euphrates Shield operation in northern Syria, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that Turkey is planning new offensives against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in Iraq, and the People’s Protection Units (YPG) in Syria. Erdogan suggested that Ankara has “very good surprises for all terrorist groups, including the PKK, YPG, Daesh [Arabic acronym for Islamic State, formerly ISIS/ISIL] and FETO [Gulenist organization].” The pro-Turkish government newspaper Yeni Safak on Thursday suggested that Turkey is planning to launch a ‘Tigris Shield’ campaign on 9 PKK positions in Sinjar, Zakho, and Duhok at the end of April. However, analysts suggest it is unlikely for Turkey to militarily intervene in Iraqi Kurdistan. |
| Posted by:badanov |