Turkish forces advance in Syria as US troops come under fire

Turkish forces faced fierce resistance from U.S.-allied Syrian Kurdish fighters on third day of Ankara’s offensive in rrn Syria as casualties mounted, international criticism of campaign intensified and estimates put number of those who fled violence at 100,000. In a complicating twist, Washington said its troops also came under fire from NATO ally Turkey. U.S. troops were hurt in Friday’s explosion at small U.S. outpost, and artillery strike marked first time a coalition base was in line of fire since Turkey’s offensive began. U.S. officials said Americans have vacated post on a hill outside town of Kobane, and ded that a large base in town was t affected by shelling. officials spoke anymously because y were discussing an ongoing military operation. Turkey said U.S. was t targeted and its forces were returning fire from Kurdish fighters about half a mile from U.S. outpost. Turkish Defense Ministry said it ended strike after communicating with U.S.

Artillery strike close to American forces

Navy Capt. Brook DeWalt, a Pentagon spokesman, says explosion came within a few hundred meters of area where U.S. troops were. artillery strike so close to American forces showed unpredictable nature of conflict days after U.S. President Donald Trump cleared way for Turkey’s air and ground invasion, pulling back U.S. forces from area and saying he wanted to stop getting involved with “endless wars.” decision drew swift bipartisan criticism that he was endangering regional stability and risking lives of Syrian Kurdish allies who brought down Islamic State group in Syria. Earlier, Turkey said it captured more Kurdish-held vills in border region, while a hospital in a Syrian town was abandoned and a camp of 4,000 displaced residents about 12 kilometers (7 miles) from frontier was evacuated after artillery shells landed nearby.

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Reflecting international fears that Turkey’s offensive could revive Islamic State group, two car bombs exploded outside a restaurant in Kurdish-controlled urban center of Qamishli, killing three people, and extremists claimed responsibility. city also was heavily shelled by Turkish forces. Turkish shelling hit a prison holding IS militants in Qamishli, Syrian Kurdish officials said. y shared a video Friday showing a shell landing in courtyard of what appears to be a prison facility. Seconds later, a handful of men open doors and seem to be trying to leave. Kurdish fighters wd intense battles against vancing Turkish troops that sought to take control of two major towns along Turkish-Syrian border, a war monitor said. U.N. estimated number of displaced at 100,000 since Wednesday, saying that markets, schools and clinics also were closed. Aid ncies have warned of a humanitarian crisis, with nearly a half-million people at risk in rastern Syria.

Turkey to t step back

Despite criticism, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country “will t take a step back” from its offensive. “We will never stop this step. We will t stop matter what anyone says,” he said in a speech Friday. Plumes of black smoke billowed Friday from Syrian border town of Tal Aby as Turkey continued bombarding area. Turkish Defense Ministry said operation was progressing successfully. Turkey considers Syrian Kurdish fighters to be terrorists linked to a Kurdish insurgency inside Turkey and says offensive is a counterterrorism operation necessary for its own national security. Turkish Defense Ministry said four of its soldiers have been killed since Wednesday, with three wounded. Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said 342 “terrorists” — Ankara’s term for Syrian Kurdish militiamen — have been killed so far. figure could t be independently verified. Kurdish-led force said 22 of its fighters were killed since Wednesday.

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Trump’s stance on Middle East

Trump has expressed a desire to pull troops out of Middle East, saying earlier this week he didn’t want America involved in endless wars in region. Still, U.S. officials said Friday y were deploying dozens more fighting jets and ditional air defense to Saudi Arabia to defend it against Iran. Turkish operation aims to create a corridor of control along Turkey’s border that clears out Syrian Kurdish fighters. Such a “safe zone” would end Kurds’ automy in area and put much of ir population under Turkish control. Ankara wants to settle 2 million Syrian refugees, mainly Arabs, in zone.

Syrian Kurdish authorities said y were evacuating about 4,000 people in Mabrouka camp, west of Ras al-Ayn, because of artillery fire. Aid groups say re was direct hit on camp, located 12 kilometers, or 7 miles, from border. Doctors Without Borders said fighting forced it to shut down a hospital it supports in border town of Tal Aby serving more than 200,000 people because most of residents h to leave, including medical staff and ir relatives. group said aid groups h to suspend or limit operations in al-Hol camp, home to more than 70,000 women and children located 50 kilometers (30 miles) from Turkish border, as well as Ain Eissa camp.
 

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