Turkey continues military escalation in Syria’s Raqqa, Hasakah, Manbij
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Recently, villages on border strip in the countryside of Raqqa, Hasakah and Manbij, north Syria, have witnessed ongoing military escalation by Turkish forces and their affiliated armed Syrian opposition factions.
Since the end of the last week, Turkish artillery has been hitting areas in Tel Tamr, Tel Abyad, Ain Issa and the surrounding villages in addition to villages on contact lines in Manbij.
On Monday morning, the Turkish forces and their affiliated factions, also known as Syrian National Army (SNA) targeted the village of Dardara, north of Tel Tamr, with a barrage of shells.
A source told North Press the shelling caused material losses in the villagers’ possession.
As a result of Turkish escalation and intensive shelling, areas in Zirgan (Abu Rasin) and Tel Tamr witnessed displacement in the last few days.
The shelling left massive losses in the residents’ possession and vital facilities.
Additionally, the town of Ain Issa and its countryside and the western countryside of Tel Abyad in Raqqa underwent shelling. On Sunday, Turkish artillery targeted the center of the town and the countryside of Tel Abyad with 60 shells, according to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Press Center.
The shelling resulted in losses in the residents’ properties and forced them to flee their areas near contact lines.
The Turkish shelling mainly targets border strip and contact lines between the SNA factions and the SDF though the region has been subjected to ceasefire agreements under Russia and the US auspice for three years.
Following the Turkish incursion in October 2019, Turkey signed two ceasefire agreements, one with Russia and the other with the US stipulating ceasing all hostilities and the withdrawal of the SDF 32 km away from the Turkish border.
The SDF did withdrew from the border areas according to the agreement, but Turkey continues targeting the area.
Turkish forces stationed at a base in the village of al-Tokhar al-Kabir, north of Manbij, targeted with artillery and heavy weapons the villages of al-Masi, al-Ziaybat and Aoun al-Dadat north of Manbij.