Turkey’s army killed at least 35 civilians in Syria on Sunday as it pushed deeper into the Syrian territory along the Turkish border, seizing land controlled by USA -backed forces on its fifth day of a cross-border, US -backed campaign against both the Kurdish YPG militia and the Islamic State group.
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Tensions between Ankara and the Kurdish militia flared Saturday, with clashes taking place eight kilometers (five miles) south of the town of Jarabulus, the border town recaptured from IS this week by Turkish-backed Syrian rebels, a monitoring group and Kurdish sources said.
Turkish officials have openly stated that their goal in Syria is as much about ensuring Kurdish forces do not add to the territory they already control along Turkey’s border, as it is about driving Isis from its strongholds.
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The fighting between them and Turkish-supported rebels and Turkish tanks and jets pits Turkey against its North Atlantic Treaty Organisation allies.
Al-Waer is the last rebel-held area in Homs, Syria’s third largest city.
Turkey’s military says 25 PKK/PYD terrorists were “neutralized” in northern Syria in an air strike on Sunday, Anadolu reported.
The fighting killed 20 civilians in Jub al-Kousa and 15 in al-Amarna, while scores more were wounded, the group said.
Syrian state news agency SANA reported that 20 civilians were killed and 50 wounded in Turkish artillery shelling and air strikes, calling it Turkish “encroachment” on Syrian sovereignty under the pretext of fighting Isis.
The Syrian rebels, however, said the Kurdish militias had not left and had started the fight by attacking a Turkish tank. The group claimed to have captured two Kurdish fighters.
The escalation against the neighbourhood comes after the evacuation of Daraya, a Damascus suburb, following a deal struck with the government after a gruelling bombing campaign and a tight siege.
The Turkish leader has meanwhile warned that the operation in Syria would continue until terrorists are defeated, naming Kurdish forces as well.
Turkey’s army and an allied Syrian rebel group called Sultan Murad were advancing toward the Syrian-Kurdish held city of Manbij on August 28 as fighting between the sides escalated in northern Syria.
An electronic materials business owner, who also did not want to be identified, said he was happy to see his business open again after the withdrawal of DAESH militants.
State TV said Saturday that Daraya was clear of gunmen, and is under the control of the Syrian army.
The Turkish-backed campaign came as part of Ankara’s double-purpose operation, which aims at clearing the city from the IS and let Syrian rebels fill in the void before the Kurdish fighters could capture the city.
The incursion was partly aimed at containing Kurdish-led forces. The government denies it uses barrel bombs.
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On Saturday, Turkish-backed rebels continued clean-up operations in the town of Jarabulus which they wrested from IS on Wednesday without significant resistance.
