“SDF forces thwarted an infiltration attempt by the Turkish occupation mercenaries on the village of Abdouki, west of the occupied city of Tal Abyad, fierce clashes erupted resulting in the elimination of several Turkish-backed mercenaries and the injury of others,” read a statement from the SDF.
Following the attempt, the Turkish army heavily bombarded the area with heavy artillery, according to the statement.
There are conflicting accounts of the incident with the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that the SDF “infiltrated positions held by Turkish forces and their allied factions in the village of Abdouki al-Kabir, west of Tal Abyad in northern Raqqa, with artillery and rocket support,” targeting the village with over 20 rockets and mortar shells.
Turkey has carried out three major military campaigns against the SDF since 2016 on the grounds that the multi-ethnic force is affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). The SDF has denied any ties with the PKK.
Since the start of the operations in 2016, Turkey has invaded key towns near the border such as Afrin, Sari Kani (Ras al-Ain), and Gire Spi.
Ankara wants to complete its long-desired 30-kilometer “safe zone” along Syria’s northern border with Turkey, on the grounds of “resolving security issues”.
The Syrian regime, on the other side, has repeatedly condemned Ankara and its plans for the zone, calling the Turkish military presence in Syria a violation of the country’s territorial integrity. Russia has also condemned the Turkish incursion.
