Turkish-led forces advance into Syrian border town, fighting rages

ANKARA/BEIRUT - Turkish-backed Syrian rebels advanced into the border town of Ras al Ain in northeast Syria on Saturday but it was unclear how far, with Turkey saying it had taken the town centre, and Kurdish-led forces denying that and saying they were counter-attacking.

Ankara began its onslaught against the YPG militia, which it says is a terrorist group backing Kurdish rebels in Turkey, after Trump withdrew some US troops there to support Kurdish forces in the fight against Islamic State. "The National Army took control of town centre this morning," a senior Turkish security official said, referring to Ankara-backed rebels."Inspections are being conducted in residential areas.

The senior Turkish official said"nearly all" YPG forces had fled south from Ras al Ain. Turkish artillery continued to shell parts of the town, a Reuters reporter said. TURKEY SEEKS 'SAFE ZONE' In the latest international censure of Turkey's incursion, Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit called it an"invasion of an Arab state's land and an aggression on its sovereignty".

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu also dismissed an offer by Trump to mediate between Ankara and Kurdish YPG forces."We don't mediate, negotiate with terrorists," he told German broadcaster Deutsche Welle."The only thing to be done is for these terrorists to lay down arms." The Turkish-backed National Army said earlier they had cut a road linking Ras al Ain and Tel Abyad, the two main targets of Ankara's offensive, and had captured 18 villages since the operation began.

Singapore Latest News, Singapore Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

As new Syrian exodus unfolds, some fear they will never go homeKurdish doctor Farid Mustafa was one of the last to flee Ras al-Ain as Turkish bombs rained down on the Syrian border town. He fears may never ...
Source: ChannelNewsAsia - 🏆 6. / 66 Read more »

Monitor: 74 Kurdish-led fighters killed in Turkish offensiveBEIRUT (REUTERS) - The death toll among Syrian Kurdish-led fighters battling a Turkish offensive has risen to 74, most of whom have been killed in the Tel Abyad area, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Saturday (Oct 12).. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Source: The Straits Times - 🏆 8. / 63 Read more »

Migrants block US-Mexico border crossing, force closureHundreds of Central American migrants blocked a border crossing Thursday between the Mexican city of Matamoros and Brownsville, Texas, demanding ...
Source: ChannelNewsAsia - 🏆 6. / 66 Read more »

As new Syrian exodus unfolds, some fear they will never go homeKurdish doctor Farid Mustafa was one of the last to flee Ras al-Ain as Turkish bombs rained down on the Syrian border town. He fears may never ...
Source: ChannelNewsAsia - 🏆 6. / 66 Read more »

US troops in Syria came under fire from Turkish positions: PentagonWASHINGTON (REUTERS) - US troops in northern Syria came under artillery fire from Turkish positions on Friday (Oct 11) but none were wounded, the Pentagon said, an incident that highlights the risks to US troops as Turkey wages an offensive against US-allied Kurdish militia.. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Source: The Straits Times - 🏆 8. / 63 Read more »

'We feel betrayed': Kurds in US voice anger at Trump's troop pullbackLike many Kurds living in the United States, Lava Antar has had a hard time sleeping this week, waking often to check reports of Turkish jets and ...
Source: ChannelNewsAsia - 🏆 6. / 66 Read more »