On August 24, the Turkish military launched a cross-border operation named the “Euphrates Shield” along with the US -led coalition in Syria’s northern border city of Jarablus to clear the area from the Daesh terror organization.
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The village of al-Amarna is some 10 km (6 miles) south of Jarablus, a town captured from Islamic State by the Turkey-backed rebels this week. The dramatic escalation was also a reflection of Ankara’s growing concern over increasing Kurdish clout and ambition in Syria and at home.
Earlier it was reported that a third group of Turkish tanks may enter Syria if the YPG and the Democratic Union Party (PYD, the Kurdish political party) forces don’t leave the city of Manbij located on the west bank of the Euphrates.
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said the Syrian Kurdish militia’s goal is to carve out a separate state – a “dream” he insists “they will never achieve”.
He said the Turkish cross-border operation would continue until, “We ensure 100 percent our border security and the life and property of our people”. “The shelling from Turkish artillery is continuing”, he told The Associated Press in an exchange of Whatsapp messages from Manbij.
Ankara says that the YPG has failed to stick to a promise made by its United States allies that the militia would move back east across the Euphrates following the seizure of the town of Manbij from IS earlier this month.
The Kurdish outlet Rudaw highlights a tweet from the official YPG page accusing the Turkish government of using chemical weapons against them.
The river crosses from Turkey into Syria at Jarablus.
Hurriyet said that the Turkish armed forces had been given an order to “strike immediately” should the YPG be seen to make any move towards Jarabulus.
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The photographer said that sporadic explosions were audible on the Turkish side of the border as the rebels carried out de-mining work in the town of Jarabulus seized from IS on Wednesday.
