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| Syria war: Kurds call on Damascus to defend against Turks | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Kurdish authorities in Syria's northern Afrin enclave have called on Syrian troops to defend the region's border, as a Turkish offensive continues there. | Kurdish authorities in Syria's northern Afrin enclave have called on Syrian troops to defend the region's border, as a Turkish offensive continues there. |
| They said the "aim of this (Turkish) aggression is to cut more Syrian land by occupying Afrin". | They said the "aim of this (Turkish) aggression is to cut more Syrian land by occupying Afrin". |
| Turkish-led forces began their assault in Syria's north-west on Saturday. | Turkish-led forces began their assault in Syria's north-west on Saturday. |
| Ankara regards Kurdish YPG fighters in Afrin as terrorists, and say they are linked to Kurdish PKK guerrillas who operate in Turkey itself. | Ankara regards Kurdish YPG fighters in Afrin as terrorists, and say they are linked to Kurdish PKK guerrillas who operate in Turkey itself. |
| Forty-eight Turkish-backed rebels and 42 YPG fighters have been killed in the fighting since Saturday, says the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitoring group. | Forty-eight Turkish-backed rebels and 42 YPG fighters have been killed in the fighting since Saturday, says the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitoring group. |
| In a separate development, Germany put plans on hold to upgrade German-made tanks used by Turkey amid a public outcry over the Turkish offensive. | In a separate development, Germany put plans on hold to upgrade German-made tanks used by Turkey amid a public outcry over the Turkish offensive. |
| What's the back story here? | What's the back story here? |
| Conflicting alliances and interests among regional and global powers. | Conflicting alliances and interests among regional and global powers. |
| Turkey accuses the YPG (People's Protection Units) of having links to the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) group within its own borders. | Turkey accuses the YPG (People's Protection Units) of having links to the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) group within its own borders. |
| In a statement on Thursday, Afrin's Kurdish authorities said the Turkish operation "threatens Syria and the security and life of the civilian population residing in the area". | In a statement on Thursday, Afrin's Kurdish authorities said the Turkish operation "threatens Syria and the security and life of the civilian population residing in the area". |
| "We call upon the Syrian state to carry out its sovereign duties towards Afrin and protect its borders with Turkey from attacks by the Turkish occupier," it added. | "We call upon the Syrian state to carry out its sovereign duties towards Afrin and protect its borders with Turkey from attacks by the Turkish occupier," it added. |
| There has been no public response yet from the government in Damascus. | There has been no public response yet from the government in Damascus. |
| The YPG denies any direct organisational links to the PKK - an assertion backed by the US, which has provided the militia and allied Arab fighters with weapons and air support to help them battle Islamic State jihadists in Syria. | The YPG denies any direct organisational links to the PKK - an assertion backed by the US, which has provided the militia and allied Arab fighters with weapons and air support to help them battle Islamic State jihadists in Syria. |
| The US-Turkish tensions are illustrated by reports of a confrontational phone call between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and US President Donald Trump on Wednesday. | The US-Turkish tensions are illustrated by reports of a confrontational phone call between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and US President Donald Trump on Wednesday. |
| While a White House statement says Mr Trump "urged Turkey to de-escalate" its Afrin operation, the Turkish foreign minister says Mr Erdogan demanded US troops withdraw from northern Syria's Manbij region, which is also controlled by Kurdish forces. | While a White House statement says Mr Trump "urged Turkey to de-escalate" its Afrin operation, the Turkish foreign minister says Mr Erdogan demanded US troops withdraw from northern Syria's Manbij region, which is also controlled by Kurdish forces. |
| Mr Erdogan has reportedly said the Turkish operation will be extended to Manbij - potentially bringing the Nato allies into direct conflict. | Mr Erdogan has reportedly said the Turkish operation will be extended to Manbij - potentially bringing the Nato allies into direct conflict. |
| The White House statement says President Trump "urged Turkey to exercise caution and to avoid any actions that might risk conflict between Turkish and American forces". | The White House statement says President Trump "urged Turkey to exercise caution and to avoid any actions that might risk conflict between Turkish and American forces". |
| So far the Turkish-backed forces seem to have made slow progress. | So far the Turkish-backed forces seem to have made slow progress. |