Turkish army shells Kurdish positions in Syria’s Afrin: military

FAN Editor

January 20, 2018

ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Turkey’s army said it shelled Kurdish positions in Syria’s Afrin region on Friday and Saturday, hitting shelters and hideouts used by militants from three groups, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), PYD and YPG.

The militants had earlier fired on Turkish positions, the army said in a statement.

President Tayyip Erdogan said this week he would crush the Syrian Kurdish militia in Afrin, which he viewed as a security threat to Turkey.

Defence Minister Nurettin Canikli said on Friday that Turkey’s operation in the region had started with cross-border shelling, but no troops have gone into Afrin.

(Reporting by Tulay Karadeniz; Writing by Ezgi Erkoyun; editing by John Stonestreet)

Free America Network Articles

Leave a Reply

Next Post

Turkey shells Syria’s Afrin region, minister says operation has begun

A woman holds a picture of Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) during a protest against Turkish attacks on Afrin, in Hasaka province, Syria, January 18, 2018. REUTERS/Rodi Said January 20, 2018 By Mert Ozkan SUGEDIGI, Turkey (Reuters) – Turkish artillery fired into Syria’s Afrin region […]