Turkish forces push deeper into northeast Syria: ministry

– Turkish commandos pushed deeper into Syrian territory east of the Euphrates river on the second day of an offensive against Kurdish militia, as a withdrawal by US forces opened up a dangerous new phase in the region’s eight-year-old conflict.

A witness in the Turkish town of Akcakale said volleys of rockets were fired from there across the border into Syria’s Tel Abyad. Smoke rose from two targets hit on the Syrian side of the border, he said. One of the prisons where ISIS detainees are held was struck by a Turkish air strike, the SDF said on Twitter.

Akcakale was quiet for much of the morning after sporadic gunfire and the sound of tank movement were heard in the early hours, Reuters journalists said. Explosions had rocked Tel Abyad earlier in the night, they said. Air strikes killed at least five civilians and three SDF fighters, while dozens of civilians were wounded, the SDF said. Thousands of people fled Ras al Ain towards Hasaka province, held by the SDF.

In a letter to the 15-member Council seen by Reuters, Turkey said that its military operation would be “proportionate, measured and responsible.”At a news conference on Wednesday, Trump defended US policy towards Kurds, saying Washington had spend “tremendous amounts of money” arming and funding them.

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