Turkish forces have killed at least 342 Kurdish fighters in a major military operation in northeast Syria, now in its third day, Turkey’s defence ministry says.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says the offensive is aimed at removing Kurdish-led forces from the border area and creating a “safe zone” so millions of Syrian refugees can be returned.
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The move came after the United States announced it was withdrawing its troops from the region, leaving the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), its main ally in the battle against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS) armed group, without US military support.
Turkey’s defence ministry confirmed the first fatality among Turkey’s soldiers on Friday, while heavy clashes between Turkish forces and the SDF are under way in the Syrian border towns.
Here are the latest updates:
Friday, October 11
More than 70,000 people displaced in northeast Syria: WFP
The World Food Programme (WFP) said that more than 70,000 people have already fled the escalating violence since Turkey launched its military operation into northern Syria on Wednesday.
The mass displacement occurred in the Al-Hasakeh and Al-Raqqa provinces, a spokesman for the United Nations’ agency said in Geneva.
He reminded the warring parties that the UN requires access to 650,000 people in northeast Syria who rely on food aid.
Four Turkish allies killed in SDF attack
At least four Syrian rebel allies of the Turkish army have been killed in an ambush by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northern Syria, Anadolu Agency reported.
The agency said the ambush took place in the Dadat village in the district of Tal Abyad, one of the Syrian border towns.
Turkey defence minister: 342 ‘terrorists’ killed by army
A total of 342 fighters from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have been “neutralised” since the start of Turkey’s military operation in northern Syria, Turkey’ defence minister said on Friday.
Hulusi Akar’s comments came after his meeting with top military officials in Turkey’s capital Ankara, where he said “every kind of measures have been taken” in operation areas.
Akar said the military operation continues “successfully as planned”.
“We give the utmost importance to not only the security of our country and people, but also to the ethnic groups – Kurdish, Arabic, Assyrian, Christian, Ezidis and Keldani people – as well,” he said.
Meanwhile, the SDF said 22 of its fighters were killed on Wednesday and Thursday by Turkey and Syrian rebel allies.
Putin says Turkish operation in Syria threatens to revive IS threat
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Turkey’s military operation in Syria could lead to the revival of the ISIL group in the region.
Putin said Kurds who were guarding thousands of imprisoned ISIL fighters are now fleeing.
“I’m not sure whether the Turkish army will be able to take this under control – and how soon,” Putin said in televised remarks on a visit to Turkmenistan. “This is a real threat to us.”
“How will they be moving and to where?” he asked of the ISIL fighters. “Through Turkish territory? Through other territories?”
“We should simply understand this, know and mobilise the resources of our security services to neutralise this emerging new threat,” he added, without giving more detail.
EU’s Tusk slams Erdogan threat of new refugee surge
European Council President Donald Tusk has condemned as attempted “blackmail” Friday a threat by the Turkish president to allow millions of refugees to head to Europe if the bloc criticises Ankara’s offensive in Syria.
“Turkey must understand that our main concern is that their actions may lead to another humanitarian catastrophe, which would be unacceptable,” Tusk said on a visit to European Union member Cyprus.
“Nor will we ever accept that refugees are weaponised and used to blackmail us. That is why I consider yesterday’s threats made by President Erdogan totally out of place,” he added.
Under a 2016 agreement with the EU, Turkey agreed to prevent refugees from leaving towards Europe in exchange for six billion euros ($6.63bn) and visa-free travel for its citizens, but has frequently criticised the lack of assistance from Brussels.
MSF: Turkey offensive forces hospital shutdowns
The Turkish military campaign in northeast Syria has displaced civilians and led to the closure of some main hospitals there, the medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) says.
“With healthcare services already struggling to meet the needs of the population, displacement and injuries caused by fighting are likely to put additional pressure on the existing limited resources in hospitals,” Robert Onus, the MSF emergency manager for Syria, said.
Shelling has forced a main MSF-supported hospital in the Syrian border town of Tal Abyad to close as most of the medical staff left the area with their families, the charity says in a statement.
“As the only public hospital in the area, Tal Abyad hospital was critical to meeting the health needs of the town and surrounding areas,” it adds.
