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Turkish army shells Islamic State positions in Syria for second day Turkish army shells Islamic State positions in Syria for second day
(35 minutes later)
Turkey has shelled Islamic State positions in Syria for a second day, as expectations grow of a major Ankara-backed offensive against the jihadis.Turkey has shelled Islamic State positions in Syria for a second day, as expectations grow of a major Ankara-backed offensive against the jihadis.
With tensions flaring on the Turkey-Syria border following the bombing in the nearby city of Gaziantep that left 54 people dead, Turkish howitzers hit Isis and Kurdish rebel targets across the frontier on Monday. With tensions high on the Turkey-Syria border after the bombing of a wedding in the Turkish city of Gaziantep killed 54 people, howitzers hit Isis and Kurdish rebel targets across the frontier on Monday.
In new fighting on Tuesday, two mortar rounds fired from an Isis-controlled area in Syria hit the south-eastern Turkish town of Karkamış, Turkish television reported. In fighting on Tuesday, two mortar rounds fired from an Isis-controlled area in Syria hit the south-eastern Turkish town of Karkamış, Turkish television reported. Turkish artillery responded by firing about 60 shells on four positions around the Isis-controlled Syrian town of Jarablus, it said.
Turkish artillery responded by hitting four positions around the Isis-controlled Syrian town of Jarablus with about 60 shells, it said. Turkey has had one of the bloodiest years in its modern history, facing a string of attacks by Isis and Kurdish militants and an attempted coup on 15 July.
Turkey has been shaken by one of the bloodiest years in its modern history, with a string of attacks by Isis and Kurdish militants and an attempted coup on 15 July. The shelling came as Syrian activists said hundreds of Turkish-backed Syrian opposition fighters had gathered in the border area of Karkamış to prepare for an offensive to seize control of Jarablus.
The shelling came as Syrian activists said hundreds of Turkish-backed Syrian opposition fighters have gathered in the border area of Karkamış in preparation for an offensive against Isis to seize control of Jarablus. This could potentially put them on a collision course with the militia of the Kurdish Democratic Union party (PYD), which Ankara vehemently opposes. The PYD has its eyes on Jarablus after seizing the strategic Manbij area in northern Syria from Isis.
This could potentially put them on a collision course with the militia of the Kurdish Democratic Union party (PYD), which Ankara vehemently opposes and also has its eyes on Jarablus after seizing the strategic Manbij area in northern Syria from Isis.
Rami Abdul Rahman, the head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said the Turkish shelling in Syria aimed to prevent the advance of troops backed by Kurds towards Jarablus.Rami Abdul Rahman, the head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said the Turkish shelling in Syria aimed to prevent the advance of troops backed by Kurds towards Jarablus.
Abdulkadir Selvi, a well-connected columnist for the Hürriyet newspaper, said the Turkey-backed offensive could begin at any moment.Abdulkadir Selvi, a well-connected columnist for the Hürriyet newspaper, said the Turkey-backed offensive could begin at any moment.
The plan has not been confirmed by the Turkish authorities but the foreign minister, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, said on Monday that the border area had to be “totally cleansed” of jihadis.The plan has not been confirmed by the Turkish authorities but the foreign minister, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, said on Monday that the border area had to be “totally cleansed” of jihadis.
The movements have come at a critical juncture for Turkey in Syria’s five-and-a-half-year war, with signs growing it is on the verge of a landmark policy shift. The moves have come at a critical juncture for Turkey in Syria’s five and a half year war, with signs growing that it is on the verge of a landmark policy shift.
Ankara has always called for the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad as the key to ending the conflict, putting Turkey at odds with his main supporters Iran and Russia. Ankara has always said the ousting of Syria’s president is the key to ending the conflict, but this puts Turkey at odds with Bashar al-Assad’s main supporters, Iran and Russia. Over the weekend, however, the prime minister, Binali Yıldırım, acknowledged for the first time that Assad was one of the “actors” in Syria and may need to stay on as part of a transition.
However, over the weekend the prime minister, Binali Yıldırım, acknowledged for the firs time that Assad was one of the “actors” in Syria and may need to stay on as part of a transition. On Monday, he urged world powers, including Iran, Russia and the US, to join together to rapidly open a “new page” in the Syria crisis.
On Monday, he urged world powers including Iran, Russia and the United States to join together to rapidly open a “new page” in the Syria crisis.
“It is essential that all the parties come together to stop the bloodshed in Syria,” said Yıldırım, whose naming as prime minister earlier this year was seen as heralding a less confrontational Turkish foreign policy.“It is essential that all the parties come together to stop the bloodshed in Syria,” said Yıldırım, whose naming as prime minister earlier this year was seen as heralding a less confrontational Turkish foreign policy.
But he also warned it was “unacceptable” for Kurds to seek to establish any kind of separate entity in northern Syria. But he also said it was unacceptable for Kurds to seek to establish any kind of separate entity in northern Syria.
Turkey regards PYD as a terror group, although Washington, Ankara’s ally in the fight against Isis, sees its militias – the powerful Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) – as having an important role in the fight. Turkey regards PYD as a terrorist group, although Washington, Ankara’s ally in the fight against Isis, sees its militias – the powerful Kurdish People’s Protection Units – as having an important role in the fight.
The US vice-president, Joe Biden, is due to visit Ankara on Wednesday for talks with Turkey’s leadership, and Syria is set to be a crucial issue. The US vice-president, Joe Biden, is due to visit Ankara on Wednesday for talks with Turkey’s leadership, with Syria expected to be a crucial issue.
There is confusion over who was behind the attack on a Kurdish wedding party in Gaziantep, with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan initially saying the suicide bomber was a child aged 12-14 acting on the orders of Isis. There is confusion over who was behind the attack on a Kurdish wedding party in Gaziantep, with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan initially saying the suicide bomber was a child, aged 12-14, acting on the orders of Isis.
However, on Monday Yıldırım said Turkey still had no clue who carried out the attack and said all “rumours” over the age and affiliation of the bomber should be taken with a pinch of salt. On Monday, however, Yıldırım said Turkey still did not know who carried out the attack and that all “rumours” about the age and affiliation of the bomber should be taken with a pinch of salt.