Turkey invasion – Nine-month-old baby among three killed in Kurdish shelling on border village as warplanes ‘attack human shields’
THREE people, including a nine-month old baby, have reportedly been killed as Kurdish forces hit back at Turkey by shelling the border town of Akcakale.
This came after the Turkish military pounded more than 181 Kurdish targets after launching a deadly ground and air assault in northern Syria.
Turkish officials claimed this morning they now "neutralised 277 terrorists" during what they are calling Operation Peace Spring.
The claims have not been confirmed by independent war monitors.
Many of the fighters reportedly killed belonged to the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) - who the Turks see as a terrorist organisation.
Ankara also claimed it has now "freed" an area of 1,500 square miles inside Syria as part of its bid to set up a "terror-free" safe zone along its border.
On Friday morning, Turkish jets and artillery struck around Syria's Ras al Ain, one of two border towns that have been the focus of the offensive.
Gunfire could also be heard inside the town, said a Reuters journalist in Ceylanpinar, on the Turkish side of the border.
As airstrikes and artillery barrages were unleashed along the border, lines of cars, trucks and motorised rickshaws could be seen racing down the main roads.
Families in flight could be seen having hastily packed their belongings into duffel bags and plastic sacks.
The Norwegian Refugee Council estimates that some 450,000 people live within three miles of the border, including 90,000 who have already fled the civil war at least once.
The strikes came as Donald Trump hit back at claims he had abandoned the Kurds — a US ally — adding they "didn't help" in World War Two.
The US President had been accused of double-crossing the fighters, crucial in the war on ISIS, by pulling US troops out of the war-torn country.
Turkish operation so far:
- Turkey says it has "neutralised 277 terrorists" and "freed" 1,500 square miles of land in Syria
- US President Donald Trump pulls back American troops from northeastern Syria
- Syrian Kurds, US allies in the fight against ISIS, are left vulnerable to a military onslaught after being abandoned
- Turkey launches ground and air assault against Kurdish fighters in northeast Syria on Wednesday, October 9
- Initial air strikes hit the border town of Ras al Ain
- Turkish defence bosses say jets and artillery struck 181 targets east of the Euphrates River since the incursion started
But he hit back on Wednesday saying the Kurds “didn't help us in the Second World War; they didn't help us with Normandy”.
He added the Kurds were only willing to help with “their land”. ";With all of that being said, we like the Kurds.”
On Thursday night he took to Twitter to reveal the US was now weighing up its options in light of the invasion.
"We defeated 100% of the ISIS Caliphate and no longer have any troops in the area under attack by Turkey, in Syria. We did our job perfectly! Now Turkey is attacking the Kurds, who have been fighting each other for 200 years," he wrote.
"We have one of three choices: Send in thousands of troops and win Militarily, hit Turkey very hard Financially and with Sanctions, or mediate a deal between Turkey and the Kurds!"
"I hope we can mediate," Trump said when asked about the options by reporters at the White House.
Without elaborating, Trump said the United States was "going to possibly do something very, very tough with respect to sanctions and other financial things" against Turkey.
KEY TARGETS
His comments came after Turkish ground troops crossed the border into Syria after airstrikes began on Wednesday.
Turkey insists the military campaign will enable it to create a 'peace corridor' along its border with Syria by wiping out 'terrorists' in the region.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's troops launched their strikes after reportedly being given the green light by the White House.
However on Wednesday, Trump insisted he did not endorse the controversial military operation and thought it was a "bad idea".
The Turkish hit dozens of key targets with air strikes and howitzers, according to the country’s defence ministry.
Plumes of smoke could be seen rising near the town of Qamishli and clashes continued throughout last night as Turkey struck at least six border towns.
Explosions then rocked the border town of Ras al-Ain, as Turkey unleashed airstrikes and artillery fire.
Kurdish civilian leaders in Syria have now called on the international community to act as "a humanitarian catastrophe might befall our people".
The SDF said Turkish warplanes struck its region in the northeast, sparking "huge panic among people" on Wednesday.
"Turkish warplanes have started to carry out air strikes on civilian areas," SDF spokesman Mustafa Bali said on Twitter.
Erdogan's jet fighters last night struck the Semalka Border Crossing in a bid to stop Kurdish fighters resupplying their fighters via the route that links the two countries, officials said.
Clips from the area overnight that reportedly show explosions at Kurdish military bases emerged as the Turkish army massed troops on the border.
It is believed the explosions show the crossing being obliterated.
Brit 'Beatles' terrorists face death penalty
Two British ISIS fighters from a cell dubbed 'The Beatles' have been taken into US custody and moved out of Syria, say officials.
London-born Alexanda Kotey, 35, and British national El Shafee Elsheikh, 31, are set to be extradited to the US and face the death penalty.
Trump dubbed the 'The Beatles' terror cell, which was linked to a series of hostage beheadings, as the "worst of the worst".
"In case the Kurds or Turkey lose control, the United States has already taken the 2 ISIS militants tied to beheadings in Syria," Trump tweeted.
In 2014 and 2015, the militants held more than 20 Western hostages in Syria and tortured many of them.
The group beheaded seven American, British and Japanese journalists and aid workers and a group of Syrian soldiers, boasting of the butchery in videos released to the world.
The US president's decision stunned world leaders and sparked fears a Srebrenica-style massacre of the Kurdish population could ensue.
But he earlier defended the withdrawal of US troops adding "the Kurds will now have to figure the situation out".
Trump then added most think he has made the right call despite effectively leaving the SDF to fend for themselves.
He tweeted: "We may be in the process of leaving Syria, but in no way have we Abandoned the Kurds, who are special people and wonderful fighters.
"Likewise our relationship with Turkey, a NATO and Trading partner, has been very good.
"Turkey already has a large Kurdish population and fully understands that while we only had 50 soldiers remaining in that section of Syria, and they have been removed, any unforced or unnecessary fighting by Turkey will be devastating to their economy and to their very fragile currency.
"We are helping the Kurds financially/weapons."
Earlier he had said: “People are extremely thrilled because they say it’s time to bring our people back home. We’re not a police force.
"The UK was very thrilled at this decision … many people agree with it very strongly,” he then added.
However, the decision drew criticism from Democrats and a rebuke from Republicans in Congress, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
He said an early US withdrawal "would only benefit Russia, Iran" and Syrian President Bashar Assad.
A US security official, said to have direct knowledge of a conversation between the pair, claims the president "got rolled" by his Turkish counterpart.
Calling Trump "spineless" he reportedly said his actions have left the US in "a state of increased danger for decades to come."
It's feared the 15,000 jihadis being held by SDF forces in Syria, including at the Al-Hawl camp, could be set free in prison breaks carried out by sleeper cells.
While Turkey has assured observers that it will not allow ISIS to return "in any shape or form", experts believe its actions could lead to a resurgence.
Among the prisoners are thought to be 2,500 foreign fighters, largely from European countries, who could return home if freed.