15th October, 2019
The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have taken back full control of a key border town in north-east Syria after launching an overnight attack on Turkish troops and their rebel allies.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and Kurdish sources made this known on Tuesday.
The monitor group said that SDF fighters had taken control of the city of Ras al-Ain from Turkish troops and their allies, who had taken over the city two days ago.
Kurdish sources confirmed the attack and said they also took over the nearby village of Tal Helef, on the outskirts of Ras al-Ain.
However, sources close to the Turkish-backed rebel groups told DPA that fierce clashes are ongoing in Ras al-Ain.
On Monday, Syrian government forces were deployed to Kurdish strongholds in north-eastern Syria following an agreement between the Kurds and Damascus to confront a Turkish incursion that started on Oct. 9.
Turkey launched a long-threatened incursion into northern Syria, targeting the SDF and the Syrian-Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), which Turkey considers to be linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) that is waging an insurgency on Turkish soil.