Following the announcement of a US troop withdrawal by President Trump, and the confirmation to Turkey that US troops would not stop a Turkish invasion,[1]Turkey made moves to invade Syria via the North East, in an effort to enforce a 30 kilometer safe zone, and attack Kurdish forces in the area, who they claimed to be terrorists threatening Turkey. The announcement of the withdrawal of US troops on 7 October came as a surprise to the SDF, however they were somewhat prepared for an invasion, despite the fact that the US had removed fortifications they had built, in order to meet Turkish demands about the enforcement of a safe zone. Turkish forces had removed concrete barrier on the border, and were built up on the border, waiting to attack. Turkish forces, and their allied Turkish Free Syrian Army forces (also referred as Syrian National Army) cross into Syria on 9 October.[2][3] There was large international condemnation of this incursion, and a number of European countries used arms embargoes.
Initial movements
Small forward troops crossed into Turkey, moving close to Ras Al-Ayn and Tal Abyad on 9 October.[4] The town was initially attacked by artillery and aerial bombing by the Turkish Air Force, which resulted in some of the civilian population fleeing the area, heading south.[5] Reinforced Turkish units proceeded to move towards the town and Tal Abyad.
Turkish forces move into Ras al-Ayn
On 12 October, more substantive Turkish forces attacked the town, moving into it, with some indications that Turkish forces had moved into the center of the town. At the same time, the SDF did a tactical retreat, pulling back before the Turkish forces in response to a Turkish artillery bombardment of their areas. Clashes continued in the Industrial district.[6]
The Kurdish politician and secretary general of the Future Syria Party, Hervin Khalaf and a number of unarmed civilians were executed outside the town, caught on a road, by the TFSA.[7] Turkish troops continued to move into the town, gaining control of the Ras al-Ayn's residential center, with some Turkish media sources claiming that the town had been completely captured. However, SDF troops showed video of themselves still in the town, continuing to engage the Turkish forces.[8] Turkish troops continued to gain control of more areas around the town, including adjacent villages, and the M4 motorway, while fighting continued inside areas of the town itself, with the SDF continued to resist.[9]
On 13 October, SDF forces launched a counteroffensive, pushing back Turkish military and recapturing key points of the town, including the industrial district.[10][11] By 15 October, the SDF had fully recaptured the town, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and other sources.[12] The Kurdish forces also retook some of the nearby M4 motorway. SDF had prepared extensive tunnels under Ras al Ayn, and used them to launch attacks on TFSA militia in the town.[13]. TFSA units managed to continue their operation, capturing a large part of the centre of the town, following heavy bombardment of the town, and airstrikes [14]
On the 19th of October, The US government and Turkey agreed on a deal for the Turkish army to halt attacks, and for the Kurds to withdraw from the 30 mile safe-zone on the Turkishborder. This is the majority of the areas where the Kurdish population lives, and while accepting the ceasefire, the Kurds rejected withdrawing from the area and handing it over to Turkey as "occupation" [15]Kurdish forces fighting in the safezone, including Ras al-ayn had not been consulted and refused, as it was their land. Some Kurds speaking to the media called it an insult. The SDF observed the ceasefire in some areas, however in Ras al-Ayn and a few other areas, the SDF continued to fight the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army. Turkey claimed to have stopped attacking Ras Al-ayn as part of the ceasefire, but reports indicated that there was a continual artillery bombardment and small arms attacks throughout the ceasefire. </ref>"Despite Cease Fire Fighting Continues in Syrian Border Town" Sentinel Source 19/10/19 https://www.sentinelsource.com/news/national_world/despite-cease-fire-fighting-continues-in-syrian-border-town/article_f75cfd32-9339-5d5b-9d44-82ff352490f8.html</ref> At this stage, the town was virtually surrounded by Turkish allied militia, with Red Crescent ambulances reporting they could not reach the town to evacuate the wounded SDF fighters.[16].
On the 18th of October, a large convoy of 80 cars and 400 civilians, including people who had from travelled Derik, Qamishlo, Til Temir and Heseke, attempted to get to Ras al Ayn from Til Temri to provide humanitarian aid. It was turned back by TFSA soldiers.
^"Violent battles continue in areas in Ras Al-Ayn city and its countryside and in the vicinity of Tal Abyad city in conjunction with heavy ground shelling witnessed in the area" Syrian Human rights 14/10/2019http://www.syriahr.com/en/?p=143884
Turkey
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