Turkish troops, Syrian Kurds exchange fire

ANKARA: Turkish forces fired howitzer shells across the border into Syria’s Ayn Al Arab region on Wednesday, killing four Kurdish militants, state broadcaster TRT said.

The barrages were launched from Turkey’s southeastern province of Sanliurfa, along the Syrian border, TRT said.

Six other militants were wounded in the strikes on the region, which is also known as Kobani.

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which controls much of northern and eastern Syria, said it returned ire after Turkish forces targeted positions along the border.

The SDF alliance, which the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia spearheads, said it hit a turkish military vehicle and reserved the “right to respond to all kinds of attacks.” Turkey has repeatedly warned it would launching a cross-border offensive against the YPG east of the Euphrates River in Syria, if the US military which supports the Kurdish ighters does not ensure their withdrawal.

On tuesday, president tayyi per dog an said he crush Syrian Kurdish ighters east of the Euphrates, where Ayn Al Arab is also located, announcing an offensive against the US allies.

Erdogan said Turkey was now prepared to press on, issuing what he said was a “inal warning” last week to those who would endanger Turkey’s borders.

He said Turkey would focus its attention on the east of the Euphrates, rather than Manbij where Turkish and US forces agreed to carry out joint patrols in June.

Turkish forces had bombarded YPG positions on Sunday on the eastern shore of the Euphrates river, Anadolu said.

Over the past two years, Turkish forces have already swept into Syria to push YPG ighters out of territory west of the Euphrates in two separate military campaigns.