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Syrian war: Turkey 'kills at least 35 civilians' in strikes Syria war: Turkey kills 25 people in latest round of air strikes
(about 1 hour later)
At least 35 civilians have been killed in Syria by Turkish shelling and air strikes, a monitoring group said. At least 25 people have been killed in the latest round of Turkish air strikes in Syria, near the city of Jarablus.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 20 people died in strikes on one village and another 15 were killed in a separate bombardment. Turkish authorities said the dead, killed in shelling and air strikes on Sunday, were all Kurdish militants.
Turkey has not commented. Separately, a monitoring group said at least 35 civilians and four militants were killed by Turkish strikes in villages near Jarablus on Sunday.
It launched a military operation to target so-called Islamic State (IS) and Kurdish militia five days ago - carrying out air strikes and sending tanks and troops into Syria. It is not yet clear whether the two reports were referring to the same incident.
They have clashed with the YPG, a Kurdish militia backed by the United States. The strikes came on the fifth day of a Turkish military operation to target so-called Islamic State (IS) militants and Kurdish militia inside Syria, dubbed Operation Euphrates Sword.
Turkey is targeting Kurdish-controlled villages around Jarablus, which Turkish-led forces captured from IS on the first day of the offensive - dubbed Operation Euphrates Sword. Analysis: Guney Yildiz, BBC News
It fears Kurdish fighters gaining an unbroken strip of territory along its border, which would be a huge boost to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), a banned Kurdish rebel group fighting for autonomy in Turkey. Turkey's coming into conflict with the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) or their Arab allies could further complicate its military campaign.
Complicated alliances Ankara wants to force the Kurds to withdraw to the east of Euphrates River, stopping short of establishing a corridor to link two Kurdish-led areas in north-western Syria.
"At least 20 civilians were killed and 50 others wounded by Turkish artillery fire and air strikes on Sunday morning at Jeb el-Kussa," a village south of Jarabulus, said Rami Abdel Rahman, who runs the Observatory. Turkey enjoys tacit support from Russia, the Assad government and Iran in acting to prevent further territorial gains by the Kurds and their allies. The US, on the other side, has said it will try to prevent Turkey coming into conflict with its allies in the region.
Mr Rahman said another 15 civilians were killed and 25 wounded, many seriously, in Turkish air strikes near the town of al-Amarneh, also south of Jarablus. A possible Turkish campaign against the Kurds in Syria could also risk igniting further clashes with the Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK) militants inside Turkey. The PKK recently upped its attacks significantly in correlation with the Turkish operation inside Syria.
Turkey v Syrian Kurds v Islamic State
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 20 people died in strikes on Jeb el-Kussa and another 15 were killed in a separate bombardment near al-Amarneh.
Four local fighters were also killed, the Observatory reported.Four local fighters were also killed, the Observatory reported.
On Saturday Turkey's military suffered its first fatality of the offensive, when a soldier died in a tank hit by a rocket. Turkish authorities blamed Kurdish militia for the death. Turkey's military said in a statement that it had killed 25 members of the PYD, an offshoot of the PKK.
Jeb el-Kussa is located 14km (9 miles) south of Jarabulus and is controlled by local fighters with support from Kurdish forces.Jeb el-Kussa is located 14km (9 miles) south of Jarabulus and is controlled by local fighters with support from Kurdish forces.
On Saturday Turkey's military suffered its first fatality of the offensive, when a soldier died in a tank hit by a rocket. Turkish authorities blamed Kurdish militia for the death.
Complicated alliances
Turkey has been targeting Kurdish-controlled villages around Jarablus, which Turkish-led forces captured from IS on the first day of the offensive.
It fears Kurdish fighters gaining an unbroken strip of territory along its border, which would be a huge boost to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), a banned Kurdish rebel group fighting for autonomy in Turkey.
Turkey's operations further complicate the already protracted Syrian civil war. Both Turkey and Kurdish rebels are US allies.Turkey's operations further complicate the already protracted Syrian civil war. Both Turkey and Kurdish rebels are US allies.
The US has backed Turkey's anti-IS operations in Syria, and both countries have demanded that Kurdish forces withdraw to the east bank of the Euphrates river.The US has backed Turkey's anti-IS operations in Syria, and both countries have demanded that Kurdish forces withdraw to the east bank of the Euphrates river.