Rockets from Syria land in southern Turkey amid border tensions

ISTANBUL: Three rockets fired from Syria landed Tuesday in Kilis, southern Turkey, local residents and CNN Turk reported, on the second consecutive day of cross-border fire in two separate locations involving numerous factions.

The cross-border violence comes just a day before US Vice President Joe Biden is due to visit Turkey, the most senior official from Washington to come since the July 15 failed coup attempt.

IS and Syrian rebels hold positions just over the border from Kilis. Earlier this year the border town was regularly hit by rockets, including some blamed on the extremist group, but for several months the area has been largely quiet.

Earlier, Turkey claimed it shelled IS positions 80 kilometres away, near the Syrian border town Jarablus.

Syrian Kurds reported Turkey shelled them further south, in areas they recently seized from IS with the backing of the United States. Turkey’s state-run news agency confirmed the attack.

Despite the shelling, the Kurds claimed they advanced against IS and took more territory from the extremist group near Minbij, a key northern Syrian border area.

Backed by US-led alliance air strikes, the Kurds have been a key force in driving IS from territories in northern Syria.

The US Department of Defence confirmed Monday that operations in northern Syrian city of Minbij with the Kurdish-led forces are ongoing, amid a “broader effort to prepare defendable positions for long-term security.”

IS was driven from the city earlier this month but left behind many booby traps which were being cleared.

Seizing Minbij is meant to help cut down on the flow of foreign fighters to IS and weaken the extremist group’s hold in northern Syria.

The US has special forces on ground in northern Syria with Kurdish-led forces. the the