Turkish-backed fighters clash with Kurdish forces in Ain Issa in northern Syria
Syrian fighters backed by Turkey launched attacks on Kurdish forces on Friday near the city of Ain Issa in northern Syria, where Russian and Turkish forces are conducting joint patrols on a major highway.
Turkish forces and their Syrian armed allies wrested control of territory in the area in an offensive last year against the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), which controls areas in northern and eastern Syria.
Ankara’s Western allies widely condemned the incursion, which was halted when Turkey reached separate agreements with Washington and Moscow.
It was agreed with Moscow to conduct joint Russian-Turkish patrols.
The YPG, which Turkey considers a terrorist group, is the military backbone of the Syria Democratic Forces coalition, which defeated ISIS in northeastern Syria with the help of the U.S. air force.
Ain Issa, where the clashes broke out during the night, is located along the M4 highway, which connects the main Syrian cities, and Russian-Turkish patrols are usually carried out on it.
A source in the armed opposition in the Turkish-backed National Army said that the faction had seized some agricultural lands after launching an attack on the outskirts of the city.
A commander from the SDF told local Kurdish media that the bombing hit parts of the city and the highway, but his forces thwarted the attack.
In Ain Issa, east of the Euphrates, there is a large camp for internally displaced people where the SDF has detained families of Islamic State fighters, including foreigners.
