AKAKALE – Turkey said Friday that one of its soldiers was killed innorthern Syria, the first such fatality in its offensive against a Kurdishmilitia.
Three more soldiers were injured in the “operation region”, the defenceministry said in a statement after clashes with the militia on Thursday. Itgave no further details.
Fighting broke out in several locations along the roughly 120-kilometre(75-mile) wide front where operations are focused, the Syrian Observatoryfor Human Rights and a Kurdish military official said Thursday.
Turkey Wednesday began an air and ground offensive supporting Syrian rebelsagainst the US-backed Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) militia.
Ankara has long opposed US support for the YPG in the fight against theIslamic State extremist group, arguing the militia is a “terrorist”offshoot of Kurdish insurgents inside Turkey.
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The ministry’s statement comes after shelling from the militia into Turkeyand Turkish military strikes in northern Syria, with casualties on bothsides.
Seven civilians including a nine-month-old baby were killed in Turkishborder towns in Sanliurfa and Mardin provinces. Nearly 70 were injured.
According to the UK-based Observatory, which relies on a network of sourcesin Syria, at least 29 fighters and 10 civilians have been killed in thewar-ravaged country since the start of the assault. -APP/AFP
