Turkish strike kills pro-Assad forces
BEIRUT — Turkey’s air force hit two positions of pro-government Syrian fighters deployed last week in the Kurdish enclave of Afrin, killing and wounding several fighters in an escalation of violence in a region where Turkey has been on the offensive for more than a month, Syrian activists said Friday.
Turkish troops and Turkey-backed opposition fighters have been on the offensive in Afrin since Jan. 20 against Syrian Kurdish fighters. Ankara has also warned Damascus not to send fighters to the area, saying it would target them.
Turkey considers Syrian Kurdish fighters to be “terrorists” linked to a Kurdish insurgency within its own borders.
The pro-government Syrian force began deploying in Afrin on Feb 20, despite Turkey’s threats. Syrian state media said the aim is to defend Afrin.
The air strikes mark a major escalation between Turkey, the main backer of Syrian opposition fighters trying to remove President Bashar Assad from power, and Syria’s pro-government forces, backed by Iran.
Britain’s Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the air strikes took place late Thursday in the village of Jamaa and killed 17 members of the force known as the Popular Forces.
Syrian state news agency said Turkish forces killed 20 people in Afrin, without providing details. Lebanon’s AlMayadeen TV, which has reporters throughout Syria, including in Afrin, said Turkish warplanes killed 18 pro-government gunmen while 19 more were missing.
Al-Mayadeen said the air strike occurred after the Popular Forces hit a Turkish helicopter gunship.
The main Kurdish militia in Syria, the People’s Protection Units, confirmed the attack, saying the air strikes killed and wounded several fighters without giving further details.
Turkey’s military said Turkish-made ATAK helicopters struck a region in western Afrin, killing nine “terrorists.” It did not provide further details and it was not clear if the air strikes were in retaliation for the deaths of eight Turkish soldiers who were reported killed there Thursday.
Turkey’s private Dogan news agency said meanwhile that Turkishbacked Syrian opposition fighters have entered the town of Rajo, in Afrin, touching off “violent clashes.” Dogan released a video from Rajo showing Turkishbacked Syrian opposition fighters firing into the distance as well as the fighters milling about.
Near the Syrian capital, Damascus, a fivehour daily truce was in effect on Friday, for the fourth day this week, but no civilians left the city’s rebel-held suburbs known as eastern Ghouta.