Some 5,000 USA and Turkish-backed Syrian rebels have crossed into northern Syria from Turkey to participate in the so-called Euphrates Shield operation, according to local journalist Adnan al-Hussein, who is embedded with the groups.
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In comments made to the state-run Anadolu news agency on Wednesday, EU Minister Omer Celik says, “Turkey is a sovereign state, it is a legitimate state”. It accelerated the surrender of the gunmen in Daraya, forcing them to reach a deal with the government which fully evacuated the almost 4,000 people still living in a neighborhood that was once home to more than 200,000.
Turkish-backed forces began the offensive last week by capturing the Syrian frontier town of Jarablus from Islamic State; they then advanced on areas controlled by Kurdish-aligned militias which have U.S. support in battling jihadists.
Washington says Turkish action aimed at the YPG, part of the US -backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) coalition, risked undermining the broader goal of ridding Syria of ISIS, which has attacked Western and Turkish targets.
Turkish-backed Syrian rebels meanwhile said they had captured three more villages to the west of Jarablus from the Islamic State group, bringing them to 21 kilometres (13 miles) from those positioned at al-Rai. Turkey views the YPG as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, which Turkey and its allies consider a terrorist organization. The YPG claimed that it has moved towards its canton and the U.S.is of the same opinion. The YPG says it has done so and United States officials agree that is mostly the case.
Turkeys Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has issued a stark warning to Kurdish Syrian forces, saying they must immediately withdraw east of the Euphrates River, otherwise they would face more strikes from Turkish forces.
The Turkish premier said on Friday that Ankara would be aware if the militia had retreated.
“Nobody can expect us to allow a terror corridor on our southern border”, Erdogan added.
As long as Turkey carries out its aggression against Syria under the pretext of pushing the Kurds east of the Euphrates river, and as long as Iran and Russian Federation continue to back Assad with impunity, Syria’s agony will continue. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that his forces have cleared ISIS and Kurdish forces from an area of northern Syria.
Turkey s operation against the YPG has raised tensions with Syrian Kurds in other areas.
Ankara is anxious that Kurdish forces are trying to extend their area of control along Turkeys southern border.
There were no reports of clashes between Turkey and the Kurds on Wednesday, marking the third day of calm and suggesting that the USA had prevailed over its two allies to keep their distance.
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A provincial Turkish official says security forces fired tear gas and a water cannon at some 400 protesters on the Syrian side of the border Friday, after they threw rocks at builders of the new wall.
