Turkey captures several villages in northern Syria on third day of offensive against US-backed Kurdish militia

  • Turkish forces captured several villages in Syria during 'Operation Olive Branch'
  • Begun on Saturday, they are attempting to out US-backed Kurdish militia
  • Turkey said it wanted to create a 30km safe zone around Afrin, deep inside Syria

By Mail Foreign Service

Published: | Updated:

Turkey has launched a major operation to oust US-backed Kurdish militias from an inside Syria near the countries’ border.

Its forces had yesterday (Mon) captured a number of villages in north-western Syria, on the third day of the offensive.

Named ‘Operation Olive Branch’ the offensive began on Saturday with a number of strikes against the Kurdish YPG militia.

The Turkish government considers the YPG to be a ‘terrorist’ group as well as the Syrian offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) which has waged a bloody three-decade insurgency against the Turkish state.

Turkey said it wanted to create a 30km safe zone around Afrin, deep inside Syria.

Turkey has launched a major operation to oust US-backed Kurdish militias from an inside Syria near the countries’ border (Pictured: Turkish soldier pictured today as they move towards the Syrian border)

Turkey has launched a major operation to oust US-backed Kurdish militias from an inside Syria near the countries’ border (Pictured: Turkish soldier pictured today as they move towards the Syrian border)

On the third day of 'Operation Olive Branch' Turkish forces captured a number of villages in north-western Syria

On the third day of 'Operation Olive Branch' Turkish forces captured a number of villages in north-western Syria

It comes after an announcement by a US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group that it is working to create a 30,000-strong border security force in northern Syria.

But, the invasion of Afrin puts Turkey at risk of confrontation with its Nato ally, the US, which closely backs the YPG as its partner against ISIS.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson yesterday said he was ‘concerned’ about Turkey’s new offensive and urged all sides to show restraint in the conflict.

Speaking in London as Turkey intensified its assault he said: ‘The US is in Syria to defeat ISIS.

‘We’ve done that with a coalition of partners and the (Kurdish-led) Syrian Democratic Forces, so we are concerned about the Turkish incidents in northern Syria.

‘We recognise and fully appreciate Turkey’s legitimate right to protect its own citizens from terrorist elements that may be launching attacks against Turkish citizens on Turkish soil from Syria.’

Turkey said it wanted to create a 30km safe zone around Afrin, deep inside Syria 

Turkey said it wanted to create a 30km safe zone around Afrin, deep inside Syria 

Tillerson said he was in talks with Ankara and the leadership of the US-led coalition in Syria and hoped to ‘address Turkish legitimate security concerns’.

Meanwhile a spokesman for Theresa May said the UK would look for ways to stop any further escalation of the violence.

He said: ‘We recognise Turkey has a legitimate interest in the security of its borders.

‘The UK is committed to working closely with Turkey and other allies to find solutions that provide stability, refrain from escalating the situation and protect Turkey’s security interests.’

France has already called for a UN Security Council meeting to discuss the situation.

But Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed: ‘We will take no step back.’

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says at least 54 fighters, including 26 Kurdish militia members and 19 Syrian rebels, have been killed since Saturday.

It says 22 civilians have also been killed in the Turkish bombardment, while two have died in Kurdish bombing of Syrian territory of pro-Ankara rebels. Ankara denies targeting civilians.

The invasion of Afrin puts Turkey at risk of confrontation with its Nato ally, the US, which closely backs the YPG as its partner against ISIS

The invasion of Afrin puts Turkey at risk of confrontation with its Nato ally, the US, which closely backs the YPG as its partner against ISIS

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