Turkish forces target populated towns, villages in Syria’s Aleppo
ALEPPO, Syria (North Press) – On Friday morning, Turkish forces and their affiliated armed factions, also known as Syrian National Army (SNA), renewed their shelling of villages and the town of Tel Rifaat in the northern countryside of Aleppo, north Syria, causing material damages.
The Turkish forces stationed in their military base in the town of Marea targeted Tel Rifaat with two artillery shells, one of which fell on a house in the town, a military source told North Press.
The Turkish artillery is currently targeting the outskirts of the village of Ibbin in Sherawa district of Afrin countryside, reporting material damage, which has not been fully assessed, the source added.
Since early this morning, the Turkish forces have bombed the outskirts of the village of Tel Qarah in the northern countryside of Aleppo, which is full of IDPs and residents of the area, with five shells, according to the same source.
In addition, local sources told North Press that the Turkish forces targeted on Thursday night Tel Rifaat with thirteen artillery shells, three of which fell near a Russian base in the town, and the other fell on a road links between the towns of Tel Rifaat and Deir Jmal.
The Turkish military escalation in the northern countryside of Aleppo coincides with recent statements by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, threatening to launch a military operation on north Syria particularly Tel Rifaat and Manbij.
On June 1, Erdogan renewed his threats of launching a military operation on northern Syria, and specified his targets in the two Syrian cities of Manbij and Tel Rifaat, which include many Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
On May 23, Erdogan announced taking steps to complete the so-called remained portions of the “safe zone” plan along Turkey’s southern border saying, “We will soon take new steps regarding the incomplete portions of the project we started on the 30 km deep safe zone we established along our southern border.”
The Turkish “safe zone” is an area of 30-35 km (19-22 miles) deep into Syrian territory that Turkey started establishing in 2019 to house Syrian refugees in an area along its border with Syria, as well as to keep it free from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which it regards as terrorists.