In Pictures

In Pictures: Turkey’s military operation in northeast Syria

Ankara has said it will target ISIL and Kurdish fighters near its border and wants to create a ‘safe zone’ inside Syria.

SANLIURFA, TURKEY - OCTOBER 09: A photo taken from Turkey''s Sanliurfa province, on October 09, 2019 shows smoke rises at the site of Ras al-Ayn city of Syria after terrorists burn tires to avoid being — Smoke rises from Ras al-Ain city in Syria as tyres are reportedly being burned to block Turkish military unmanned aerial vehicles from photographing the area as Turkish troops begin Operation Peace Spring in northern Syria. [Kerem Kocalar/Anadolu]

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Wednesday the launch of “Operation Peace Spring” in northeastern Syria, saying it would target the ISIL group and the Syria-based Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), which Turkey considers to be linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

According to the Syrian Democratic Forces, which are led by the YPG, there were initial reports of civilian casualties after Turkish jets started bombing SDF military positions and villages in Tal Abyad, Ras al-Ain, Qamishli and Ain Issa.

Ankara wants to create a so-called “safe zone” stretching 32km (20 miles) into bordering Syria’s northeastern region.

This is Turkey‘s third offensive in three years targeting Syrian-Kurdish militias, after Operation Euphrates Shield in 2016 and Operation Olive Branch in 2018.

Shortly after the Turkish operation inside Syria had started, local residents cheer and applaud as a convoy of Turkish forces vehicles is driven through the town of Akcakale, Sanliurfa province, south — Local residents cheer and applaud as a convoy of Turkish forces vehicles is driven through the town of Akcakale, Sanliurfa province, southeastern Turkey, at the border between Turkey and Syria, shortly after the Turkish operation inside Syria started. [Lefteris Pitarakis/AP Photo]

SANLIURFA, TURKEY - OCTOBER 09: (----EDITORIAL USE ONLY – MANDATORY CREDIT - " TURKEY''S NATIONAL DEFENCE MINISTRY / HANDOUT" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIEN — Turkish army tanks fire artillery shells as Turkish troops begin Operation Peace Spring in northern Syria. [Handout/Turkish National Defence MInistry/Anadolu]

Civilians ride a pickup truck as smoke billows following Turkish bombardment on Syria''s northeastern town of Ras al-Ain in the Hasakeh province along the Turkish border on October 9, 2019. - Turkey la — Turkey has launched the military operation to remove Kurdish-led forces from the border area and create a 'safe zone' to resettle Syrian refugees. [Delil Souleiman/AFP]

Turkish army vehicles drive towards the Syrian border near Akcakale in Sanliurfa province on October 9, 2019. - Turkey launched an assault on Kurdish forces in northern Syria on October 9 with air str — Turkish army vehicles drive towards the Syrian border near Akcakale in Sanliurfa province. [Bulent Kilic/AFP]

A Turkish army''s tank drives towards the border with Syria near Akcakale in Sanliurfa province on October 8, 2019. - Turkey said on October 8, 2019, it was ready for an offensive into northern Syria, — A Turkish army tank drives towards the border with Syria the night before the military operation started. [Bulent Kilic/AFP]

ALEPPO, SYRIA - OCTOBER 08: Syrian National Army forces are dispatched to Manbij front line ahead of Turkey''s planned operation in the east of the Euphrates River in northern Syria in Aleppo, Syria on — Turkey's rebel allies in northern Syria prepare to dispatch to the Manbij front line ahead of Turkey's planned operation. [Bekir Kasim/Anadolu]