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In Pictures: Turkey’s military offensive in northeast Syria

United Nations has said that more than 130,000 people have been displaced as a result of the fighting.

Turkish military vehicles carrying tanks as they are on the way to northern Syria. [Sedat Suna/EPA]
Turkish military vehicles carrying tanks as they are on the way to northern Syria. [Sedat Suna/EPA]
13 Oct 2019

Heavy fighting continued on Sunday as Turkey presses ahead in the fifth day of its military operation against Kurdish fighters in northeast Syria.

Ankara says the offensive aims to remove the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a coalition of rebels led by the People’s Protection Units (YPG), from the border area and create a “safe zone” to which millions of Syrian refugees in Turkey can be resettled.

Turkey considers the YPG as an extension of the outlawed, Turkey-based Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which is designated a “terrorist” organisation by the United States and the European Union.

The United Nations has said that more than 130,000 people have been displaced as a result of the fighting.

Turkey’s military claimed to have control of the key Syrian border town of Ras al-Ain on Saturday, but fighting was still ongoing on Sunday according to a war monitor.

An elderly man is evacuated from a building in Akcakale, a Turkish town near the border with Syria, after it was hit by a mortar reportedly fired from within Syria. [Bulent Kilic/AFP]
An elderly man is evacuated from a building in Akcakale, a Turkish town near the border with Syria, after it was hit by a mortar reportedly fired from within Syria. [Bulent Kilic/AFP]
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Turkish police officers secure the building in Akcakale that was hit by a mortar reportedly fired from Syria. [Burak Kara/Getty Images]
Turkish police officers secure the building in Akcakale that was hit by a mortar reportedly fired from Syria. [Burak Kara/Getty Images]
Turkey-backed Syrian rebel fighters near the border town of Tel Abyad. Turkish forces and their Syrian allies have seized large parts of the northern Syrian town of Suluk, located approximately 10km (six miles) from the Turkey-Syria border, to the southeast of Tal Abyad. [Khalil Ashawi/Reuters]
Turkey-backed Syrian rebel fighters near the border town of Tel Abyad. Turkish forces and their Syrian allies have seized large parts of the northern Syrian town of Suluk, located approximately 10km (six miles) from the Turkey-Syria border, to the southeast of Tal Abyad. [Khalil Ashawi/Reuters]
Fighting has engulfed the border area in northeast Syria since Turkey launched an offensive on October 9 to push back the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). [Bakr AlKasem/AFP]
Fighting has engulfed the border area in northeast Syria since Turkey launched an offensive on October 9 to push back the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). [Bakr AlKasem/AFP]
A Turkish-backed Syrian fighter fires during clashes in the border town of Ras al-Ain as Turkey and its allies continue the military operation on Kurdish-held border towns. [Nazeer Al-khatib/AFP]
A Turkish-backed Syrian fighter fires during clashes in the border town of Ras al-Ain as Turkey and its allies continue the military operation on Kurdish-held border towns. [Nazeer Al-khatib/AFP]
Turkish-backed Syrian fighters watch as smoke billows from the border town of Ras al-Ain. [Nazeer Al-Khatib/AFP]
Turkish-backed Syrian fighters watch as smoke billows from the border town of Ras al-Ain. [Nazeer Al-Khatib/AFP]
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An explosion over the Syrian town of Ras al-Ain as seen from the Turkish border town of Ceylanpinar, Sanliurfa province. Turkey's military says it had taken control of the Syrian town. [Stoyan Nenov/Reuters]
An explosion over the Syrian town of Ras al-Ain as seen from the Turkish border town of Ceylanpinar, Sanliurfa province. Turkey's military says it had taken control of the Syrian town. [Stoyan Nenov/Reuters]
Fatima al-Issa was hit by shrapnel during the Turkish bombardment of Ras al-Ain and receives treatment at a hospital in the town of Tal Tamr in the countryside of Syria's northeastern Hassakeh province. [Delil Souleiman/AFP]
Fatima al-Issa was hit by shrapnel during the Turkish bombardment of Ras al-Ain and receives treatment at a hospital in the town of Tal Tamr in the countryside of Syria's northeastern Hassakeh province. [Delil Souleiman/AFP]
Kurdish civilians flee their homes in Ras al-Ain. Turkey's assault has forced 130,000 people to flee their homes, the UN said. [Stringer/EPA]
Kurdish civilians flee their homes in Ras al-Ain. Turkey's assault has forced 130,000 people to flee their homes, the UN said. [Stringer/EPA]
Kurdish female fighters of the SDF gather in Ras al-Ain. Turkey's ministry of defence said 399 YPG fighters had been 'neutralised' since the operation began on Wednesday. Stringer/EPA]
Kurdish female fighters of the SDF gather in Ras al-Ain. Turkey's ministry of defence said 399 YPG fighters had been 'neutralised' since the operation began on Wednesday. Stringer/EPA]
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