Turkish offensive against Syrian Kurdish militia enters fourth day
4701 Min Read
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.
Turkey pursued its four-day-old, cross-border offensive against a Syrian Kurdish militia despite an outcry from the United States and European Union and warnings of possible sanctions unless Ankara called off its attack.
Meanwhile, France and Germany on Saturday suspended arms exports to Turkey over its offensive into Syria against Kurdish fighters, as protesters denounced Ankara at rallies in several European cities.
In a joint statement from the defence and foreign ministries, France said it had suspended all planned exports of “war materials” to Turkey that could be used in their offensive into Syria, AFP reported.
The Paris statement came hours after Germany, one of Turkey’s main arms suppliers, also said it had suspended exports.
Pro-Ankara fighters taking part in a Turkish offensive on Kurdish-held border towns in northeastern Syria “executed” at least nine civilians on Saturday, a monitor said.
“The nine civilians were executed at different moments south of the town of Tal Abyad,” the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
The Kurds said a female Kurdish party official and her driver were among those killed, AFP reported.
