(Agencies)- The Syrian Kurdish PYD party on Sunday rejected Turkish demands that allied militia withdraw from positions near the border that are being shelled by Turkish army, and warned that Syrians would resist any Turkish intervention in the country.
The news comes after close sources to the Turkish government told Al Arabiya News that Turkey’s shelling against YPD forces killed at least 35 and injured 15 others. The sources also said that the Turkish raids targeted 19 positions mainly in the northwestern city of Aleppo in Syria.
Saleh Muslim, the co-chair of the PYD, told Reuters Turkey had no right to intervene in Syria’s internal affairs, adding that an air base shelled by the Turkish army on Saturday had been in the hands of the al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front until forces allied to the PYD captured it last week.
Turkey shelling YPG positions
For a second day Sunday, Turkey shelled positions held by the main Kurdish militia in northern Syria, adding complexity to an inflamed situation in the area where Russian-backed Syrian government forces are also on the march, opposition activists said.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights activist group said two fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces - a coalition of Kurdish and Arab fighters - have been killed and seven others wounded in the shelling.
There was no immediate confirmation by the group, which is dominated by YPG fighters.
The group has seized a number of villages in the northern province of Aleppo near the Turkish border in recent days, and appears poised to move to the border town of Azaz, an opposition stronghold. That has alarmed Turkey, which considers the group to be an affiliate of the Kurdish PKK movement which it considers to be a terrorist organization.
Opposition groups said Saturday that Turkish troops fired artillery shells that targeted the Mannagh air base in Aleppo province, which was captured by Kurdish fighters and their allies earlier this week.
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said late Saturday that his country’s military fired at Kurdish fighters in northern Syria in response to a provocation along the border. He said Turkish forces retaliated against a Kurdish faction “that presented a threat in Azaz and its environs” in line with the country’s rules of engagement.
He accuses YPG of carrying out “harassing actions” along the border.
U.S. urges Turkey to stop shelling
The United States pressed Turkey on Saturday to halt military strikes on Kurdish and Syrian regime targets Saturday in the northern province of Aleppo, as Ankara weighs a joint ground assault with Saudi troops.
“We are concerned about the situation north of Aleppo and are working to de-escalate tensions on all sides,” State Department spokesman John Kirby said in a statement.
The shelling on Saturday came just a day after world powers announced announced an ambitious plan to stop fighting in Syria within a week.
But doubts have emerged over its viability, especially because it did not include ISIS or Al-Qaeda's local branch, which is fighting alongside other rebel groups in several areas.
The news comes after close sources to the Turkish government told Al Arabiya News that Turkey’s shelling against YPD forces killed at least 35 and injured 15 others. The sources also said that the Turkish raids targeted 19 positions mainly in the northwestern city of Aleppo in Syria.
Saleh Muslim, the co-chair of the PYD, told Reuters Turkey had no right to intervene in Syria’s internal affairs, adding that an air base shelled by the Turkish army on Saturday had been in the hands of the al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front until forces allied to the PYD captured it last week.
Turkey shelling YPG positions
For a second day Sunday, Turkey shelled positions held by the main Kurdish militia in northern Syria, adding complexity to an inflamed situation in the area where Russian-backed Syrian government forces are also on the march, opposition activists said.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights activist group said two fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces - a coalition of Kurdish and Arab fighters - have been killed and seven others wounded in the shelling.
There was no immediate confirmation by the group, which is dominated by YPG fighters.
The group has seized a number of villages in the northern province of Aleppo near the Turkish border in recent days, and appears poised to move to the border town of Azaz, an opposition stronghold. That has alarmed Turkey, which considers the group to be an affiliate of the Kurdish PKK movement which it considers to be a terrorist organization.
Opposition groups said Saturday that Turkish troops fired artillery shells that targeted the Mannagh air base in Aleppo province, which was captured by Kurdish fighters and their allies earlier this week.
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said late Saturday that his country’s military fired at Kurdish fighters in northern Syria in response to a provocation along the border. He said Turkish forces retaliated against a Kurdish faction “that presented a threat in Azaz and its environs” in line with the country’s rules of engagement.
He accuses YPG of carrying out “harassing actions” along the border.
U.S. urges Turkey to stop shelling
The United States pressed Turkey on Saturday to halt military strikes on Kurdish and Syrian regime targets Saturday in the northern province of Aleppo, as Ankara weighs a joint ground assault with Saudi troops.
“We are concerned about the situation north of Aleppo and are working to de-escalate tensions on all sides,” State Department spokesman John Kirby said in a statement.
The shelling on Saturday came just a day after world powers announced announced an ambitious plan to stop fighting in Syria within a week.
But doubts have emerged over its viability, especially because it did not include ISIS or Al-Qaeda's local branch, which is fighting alongside other rebel groups in several areas.
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