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Tal Abyad car bomb: At least 13 killed in Syrian border town | |
(32 minutes later) | |
At least 13 people were killed by a car bomb in the northern Syrian border town of Tal Abyad, Turkish authorities said. | |
Turkey's defence ministry said at least 20 others were wounded by the blast. | |
Turkish troops and Turkey-backed rebels last month took control of Tal Abyad and other border towns from Kurdish forces, after US troops - who were protecting the Kurds - pulled out. | |
Pro-Turkey fighters and civilians were among the dead on Saturday, according to a UK-based monitoring group. | Pro-Turkey fighters and civilians were among the dead on Saturday, according to a UK-based monitoring group. |
The monitor, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said more than 30 people were also injured in the blast. Turkey's defence ministry accused a Syrian Kurdish militia group, the People's Protection Units (YPG), of planting the bomb. No group immediately claimed responsibility. | The monitor, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said more than 30 people were also injured in the blast. Turkey's defence ministry accused a Syrian Kurdish militia group, the People's Protection Units (YPG), of planting the bomb. No group immediately claimed responsibility. |
Turkey's military invaded the Kurdish-held border areas in northern Syria immediately after US forces were withdrawn. Turkey has a longstanding enmity with the Kurds and wants to push back the YPG from its border. | Turkey's military invaded the Kurdish-held border areas in northern Syria immediately after US forces were withdrawn. Turkey has a longstanding enmity with the Kurds and wants to push back the YPG from its border. |
Turkey claims the YPG is a "terrorist" offshoot of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has fought an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984. | |
Turkish forces have created a 120-kilometre (75-mile) "safe zone" between Tal Abyad and the town of Ras al-Ain, pushing the YPG out of the area. Turkish troops on Friday began joint patrols with Russian forces. | |
US President Donald Trump faced widespread international criticism for his decision to remove American troops from the area, leaving Kurdish forces - which allied with the US in the fight against the Islamic State (IS) group, suffering heavy losses - outgunned by the Turkish military. | US President Donald Trump faced widespread international criticism for his decision to remove American troops from the area, leaving Kurdish forces - which allied with the US in the fight against the Islamic State (IS) group, suffering heavy losses - outgunned by the Turkish military. |
Tens of thousands of people fled their homes in October in border towns in northern Syria, including Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ain, as Turkish forces pushed into the area. | Tens of thousands of people fled their homes in October in border towns in northern Syria, including Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ain, as Turkish forces pushed into the area. |