Syrian Kurds gather around a U.S. armored vehicle during a protest against Turkish threats next to a US-led international coalition base on the outskirts of the town of Ras al-Ain in Hasakah province, Syria, on Oct. 6, 2019. (Credit: Delil Souleiman/AFP)
This is one of Syria's new flashpoints. While a sweeping rebel offensive advanced on Damascus to topple Bashar al-Assad, pro-Turkish factions launched parallel attacks against Kurdish forces. These strikes targeted areas in Aleppo province, particularly Tall Rifaat — home to many Kurdish refugees from Afrin — as well as Kurdish strongholds in northeastern Syria, furthering Ankara's goal of dismantling Kurdish presence along its border.Pro-Turkish forces, grouped under the Syrian National Army (SNA), announced Sunday that they had seized control of 80 percent of Manbij, a predominantly Kurdish city on the banks of the Euphrates and the site of clashes since the offensive began.On Wednesday, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the main ally of the U.S.-led coalition against ISIS in Syria and Turkey-backed armed factions reached a truce...
This is one of Syria's new flashpoints. While a sweeping rebel offensive advanced on Damascus to topple Bashar al-Assad, pro-Turkish factions launched parallel attacks against Kurdish forces. These strikes targeted areas in Aleppo province, particularly Tall Rifaat — home to many Kurdish refugees from Afrin — as well as Kurdish strongholds in northeastern Syria, furthering Ankara's goal of dismantling Kurdish presence along its border.Pro-Turkish forces, grouped under the Syrian National Army (SNA), announced Sunday that they had seized control of 80 percent of Manbij, a predominantly Kurdish city on the banks of the Euphrates and the site of clashes since the offensive began.On Wednesday, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the main ally of the U.S.-led coalition against ISIS in Syria and Turkey-backed armed factions reached a...