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| result =
| result =
| status = Ongoing
| status = Ongoing
*[[Turkish Armed Forces]] and their allies capture 13 villages<ref name="11villages">{{Cite web|url=http://www.syriahr.com/en/?p=143466|title=30 hours of “Peace Spring”: about 70000 displaced citizens…11 villages go to the grip of Turkey and its loyal factions…10 civilian casualties as well as 46 casualties of the SDF and the factions|date=10 October 2019}}</ref><ref name="174YPG"/><ref>https://www.cnnturk.com/turkiye/son-dakika-baris-pinari-harekati-kapsaminda-13-koy-terorden-arindirildi</ref>{{dubious|Captured villages|date=October 2019}}
*[[Turkish Armed Forces]] and their allies capture 13 villages<ref name="11villages">{{Cite web|url=http://www.syriahr.com/en/?p=143466|title=30 hours of “Peace Spring”: about 70000 displaced citizens…11 villages go to the grip of Turkey and its loyal factions…10 civilian casualties as well as 46 casualties of the SDF and the factions|date=10 October 2019}}</ref>{{failed verification}}<ref name="174YPG"/><ref>https://www.cnnturk.com/turkiye/son-dakika-baris-pinari-harekati-kapsaminda-13-koy-terorden-arindirildi</ref>{{dubious|Captured villages|date=October 2019}}
| combatants_header =
| combatants_header =
| combatant1 = {{flag|Turkey}}<br />{{flagdeco|Syrian opposition}} [[Syrian Interim Government]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-49998035|title=Heavy fighting as Turkey pushes into north Syria|date=10 October 2019|via=www.bbc.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/10/turkey-syria-border-latest-updates-191008131745495.html|title=Turkey-Syria border: All the latest updates|website=www.aljazeera.com}}</ref>
| combatant1 = {{flag|Turkey}}<br />{{flagdeco|Syrian opposition}} [[Syrian Interim Government]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-49998035|title=Heavy fighting as Turkey pushes into north Syria|date=10 October 2019|via=www.bbc.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/10/turkey-syria-border-latest-updates-191008131745495.html|title=Turkey-Syria border: All the latest updates|website=www.aljazeera.com}}</ref>

Revision as of 13:44, 11 October 2019

For other Turkish military operations in Syria, see Turkish military intervention in Syria.
Operation Peace Spring
Part of the Rojava conflict, Turkish involvement in the Syrian Civil War, and the Kurdish–Turkish conflict (2015–present)
Date9 October 2019 – ongoing
(4 years, 11 months and 1 day)
Location
Northern parts of Aleppo, Hasakah, and Raqqa Governorates, Syria
Status

Ongoing

Belligerents
 Turkey
Syrian Interim Government[1][2]		 Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria
Commanders and leaders
Hulusi Akar
(Minister of Defence)
Gen. Yaşar Güler
(Chief of the General Staff)[6]
Lt. Gen. Sinan Yayla
(2nd Army Commander)
Brig. Gen. Salim Idris
(Minister of Defence)
Sayf Abu Bakr
(Hamza Division Commander)[7]		 Mazlum Kobane
(Commander-in-Chief)
Riad Khamis al-Khalaf
(Tal Abyad Military Council Commander)
Units involved
See order of battle See order of battle
Casualties and losses

Per SOHR:
34 killed[3]
1 killed[8]

Per Turkey:
4 killed, 3 wounded[9]
1 killed, 3 wounded[10]

Per SOHR:
29 killed[3]

Per Turkey:
342 killed[4][11][12]
9–10 civilians killed in Syria by TAF shelling
(per SOHR & SDF)[13][3]
9 civilians killed in Turkey by SDF shelling (1 Syrian; per Turkey)[14][15][16][17]
1 civilian killed in Syria by SDF shelling (per SOHR)[18]
70,000 civilians displaced[19]

The 2019 Rojava offensive, called Operation Peace Spring (Turkish: Barış Pınarı Harekâtı; Arabic: عملية نبع السلام) by the Turkish government, is an ongoing military operation and invasion[20] conducted by the Turkish Armed Forces and the Turkish-allied opposition Syrian National Army (SNA) against areas under the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (NES), commonly called Rojava, and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

On 6 October 2019, the Trump administration ordered American troops to withdraw from northeast Syria, where the United States had been supporting its Kurdish allies.[21] The military operation began on 9 October 2019 when the Turkish Air Force launched airstrikes on border towns.[22]

According to the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the operation is intended to expel the SDF—viewed as a terrorist organization by Turkey due to its ties with the Kurdistan Workers Party, but considered an ally against ISIL by the United States and others—from the border region, as well to create a 30 km-deep (20 mi) "safe zone" in Northern Syria where some of the 3.6 million Syrian refugees in Turkey would resettle.[23] As the proposed settlement zone is heavily Kurdish in demographic makeup, this intention has been criticized by critics as an attempt to force a drastic demographic change,[24][25][26] a criticism denied by Turkey by saying that it only intended to "correct" the demographics changed by the SDF.[26][27][28]

The Turkish action was condemned by the European Union, the Arab League, Iran, Israel, and the United Kingdom as an assault on the territory of a sovereign and Arab state and an irresponsible destabilizing action with "potentially terrible" humanitarian consequences.[29] The Syrian government has blamed the Kurds for the Turkish offensive, because of their separatism and not negotiating with the government, but has also condemned the foreign invasion of Syrian territory.[30]

Background

Main article: Northern Syria Buffer Zone

Turkey and the United States struck a deal in August 2019 after months of Turkish threats to unilaterally invade Northern Syria. The United States viewed the Syrian Democratic Forces as one of its key allies in the military intervention against ISIL in Syria, while Turkey viewed the group as an extention of the Kurdistan Workers Party, which it considers a terrorist group. The agreement established the Northern Syria Buffer Zone, which aimed to dissipate tensions by addressing Turkey's security concerns with monitoring and joint patrols, while still allowing the NES to retain control over the areas that it had under its control at that time.[31][32] The agreement was received favorably by the US and SDF/NES, but Turkey was generally dissatisfied with it. Turkey's dissatisfaction led to numerous Turkish efforts to expand the area covered by the buffer zone, secure Turkish control over parts of it, or relocate millions of refugees into the zone, with all of these efforts failing in the face of firm SDF resistance and American ambivalence.[33]

Despite the official start of US-Turkish ground patrols, the dismantling of SDF fortifications, and the withdrawal of YPG units from parts of the buffer zone, tensions continued to rise as Turkey levied yet more demands on the SDF—all of which the SDF denied, as they felt that they had accepted a harsh compromise by permitting Turkish troops to take part in joint patrols with their American counterparts in Northern Syria.[34] Turkey's dissatisfaction with the status quo of the agreement grew into open hostility, with the Turkish president openly posing an ultimatum against the SDF.[35] The ultimatum was ignored by the group and Turkey declared its "deadline" to have expired at the start of October that same year.[36]

Prelude

American soldiers greet Turkish troops for a joint patrol in Northern Syria on 4 October 2019.

Preparations for the offensive began in early October, starting with the withdrawal of American forces from positions near the Turkish border, after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had a phone call with United States President Donald Trump about plans for a military operation against SDF-held areas east of the Euphrates river.[37][38] While the United States government has stated it does not support the Turkish-led offensive, the White House also announced on 6 October 2019 that it would not interfere, and would withdraw all United States personnel in the area to avoid a potential US-Turkish standoff; US Secretary of State Pompeo denied that this amounted to giving the Turkish Armed forces a green light to attack the SDF while a spokesman for the SDF called the withdrawal a betrayal by the United States.[21] The US also reportedly cutoff aid to the SDF in order not to arm them against a NATO ally.[39]

On 8 October 2019, the Turkish military reportedly bombed a convoy of weapons vehicles heading from Iraq into Syria destined for the SDF. However the SDF did not retaliate to the attack, and no casualties were reported as a result of the air strike.[40] On the same day Russian special forces opened a crossing on the Euphrates river between areas held by the Syrian Government and SDF in the Deir ez-Zor Governorate.[41] While the SDF claimed that the Syrian military was preparing to enter the city of Manbij in northeastern Aleppo, the Syrian government responded by saying the build up of the Syrian military near Manbij was being done in order to prevent the Turkish military from entering the city.[42] On the same day, Turkish forces shelled Ras al-Ayn and fired machine guns at the vicinity of the city.[43]

Operation

9 October

The operation began on 9 October 2019, with Turkish airstrikes and howitzers targeting the SDF-held towns of Tell Abyad, Ras al-Ayn where thousands of people were reported to have fled the town,[44] Ain Issa and Qamishli. The date is the anniversary of the PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan's expulsion from Syria in 1998, by the government of Hafez al-Assad.[45][46]

In response to the cross-border shelling, SDF's spokesman claimed that Turkey was targeting civilians.[47] Six rockets were later launched at the Turkish city of Nusaybin as a response by the PKK, and two reportedly hit the Turkish town Ceylanpınar.[48][49][50] The SDF also announced in response to the start of the Turkish operation they would be halting anti-ISIL operations,[51] and that two civilians had been killed.[52] In response to the airstrikes, the SDF has called upon the United States to establish a no-fly zone over northern Syria.[53]

By the end of the day, the Turkish military announced that the ground phase of the operation had begun from three points including Tell Abyad.[54]

10 October

Before dawn on the morning of 10 October 2019, the Turkish military officially began the ground offensive against the SDF; they also announced that they had hit 181 targets in northern Syria, and 14,000 rebels backed by Turkey are also reportedly taking part in the Turkish-led offensive. An attempted advance in Tell Abyad was repelled by the SDF.[55][56] Later during the day, clashes reportedly broke out between the SDF and Turkish-aligned forces near al-Bab.[57] Turkish-led forces made advances around the area of Tell Abyad and captured the villages of Tabatin and Al-Mushrifah.[58][dubious – discuss] By nightfall Turkish Armed Forces declared control of 11 villages. As fighting went on around Tell Abyad, the Syrian National Army announced it captured the villages of Mishrifah, Al-Hawi, Barzan, Haj Ali and a farm east of the city.[59][dubious – discuss][unreliable source?] During Turkish air strikes during the fighting, SDF claimed that the Turkish air force hit a prison that was holding captured ISIL fighters.[60][61] Turkish media reported in the late evening that 174 SDF fighters were killed, wounded or captured.[4]

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan claimed that day that 109 SDF fighters had been killed in the operation as well as an unspecified number of fighters wounded and captured. In a speech to lawmakers from his AKP party, President Erdogan also threatened to flood Europe with 3.6 million refugees if European nations continued to criticize the military operation, in particular if they labelled it an invasion.[62][63]

A total 7 Turkish civilians were killed and 85 civilians were wounded by the SDF shelling in Turkey on the second day of the operation according to Turkish media.[64][65][66][67][68][69] 70,000 people have fled from border towns in the SDF following Turkish bombardment.[70][71]

11 October

2 journalists were wounded in Nusaybin, when the building they were filming from came under fire from Qamishli across the border by SDF fighters. The incident was broadcasted live on Turkish TV channels.[72]

2 civilians were killed in Suruc, Turkey by SDF shelling, raising the total civilians killed by SDF shelling in Turkey to 9.[73] Turkey shelled Kobane across the border from Suruc in response to the attack.[74]

Reactions

Main article: Reactions to the 2019 Rojava offensive
International reactions to Turkey's 2019 Rojava offensive. As published on Wikipedia per 11 Oct. 2019, 09:00 CET.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Heavy fighting as Turkey pushes into north Syria". 10 October 2019 – via www.bbc.com.
  2. ^ "Turkey-Syria border: All the latest updates". www.aljazeera.com.
  3. ^ a b c d "30 hours of "Peace Spring": about 70000 displaced citizens…11 villages go to the grip of Turkey and its loyal factions…10 civilian casualties as well as 46 casualties of the SDF and the factions". 10 October 2019.
  4. ^ a b c "228 YPG terrorists neutralized in Turkey's Operation Peace Spring". DailySabah.
  5. ^ https://www.cnnturk.com/turkiye/son-dakika-baris-pinari-harekati-kapsaminda-13-koy-terorden-arindirildi
  6. ^ "Harekat ile ilgili çalışmalarımız devam ediyor". www.aa.com.tr.
  7. ^ Şafak, Yeni. "Free Syrian Army ready for potential new operation". Yeni Şafak.
  8. ^ http://www.syriahr.com/?p=341416
  9. ^ https://www.haberturk.com/son-dakika-baris-pinari-harekati-nda-suriye-milli-ordusu-ndan-4-savasci-boyle-sehit-oldu-haberler-2530070
  10. ^ Şafak, Yeni (10 October 2019). "Ahmet Topçu - Barış Pınarı Harekatı şehidi". Yeni Şafak (in Turkish). Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  11. ^ Turkish Ministry of National Defense [@tcsavunma] (11 October 2019). "Barış Pınarı Harekâtı kapsamında gece boyunca icra edilen harekâtlar neticesinde 49 PKK/PYD-YPG'li terörist daha etkisiz hale getirildi. Böylece harekâtın başlangıcından bu yana etkisiz hale getirilen toplam terörist sayısı 277 oldu" [49 PKK / PYD-YPG terrorists were neutralized as a result of the operations carried out during the night within the scope of Peace Spring Operation. Thus, the total number of terrorists has been neutralized since the start of the operation was 277.] (Tweet) (in Turkish) – via Twitter.
  12. ^ https://www.trtworld.com/turkey/turkish-forces-kill-342-terrorists-in-syrian-operation-peace-spring-30471
  13. ^ "SDF: Nine dead in Turkish offensive in northeast Syria". Reuters. 10 October 2019 – via www.reuters.com.
  14. ^ "Six killed in Turkish border towns in mortar fire from Syria - Breaking News - Jerusalem Post". www.jpost.com.
  15. ^ "The Latest: Macron condemns Turkish offensive into Syria". AP NEWS. 10 October 2019.
  16. ^ http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/hain-saldiri-bir-aci-haber-daha-7-sehit-85-yarali-41348374
  17. ^ https://www.cnnturk.com/turkiye/son-dakika-teror-orgutu-ypgden-havanli-saldiri-suructa-2-kisi-hayatini-kaybetti
  18. ^ "About 10 citizens were killed or injured due to rocket shelling carried out by the forces of "Jarabulus Military Council" on the city of Jarabulus north-east of Aleppo". 10 October 2019.
  19. ^ http://www.syriahr.com/en/?p=143466
  20. ^ "Invasion of northeast Syria carries gain and risk for Turkey". AP NEWS. 9 October 2019. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
  21. ^ a b "Trump makes way for Turkey operation against Kurds in Syria". BBC News. 7 October 2019. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
  22. ^ Bethan McKernan (9 October 2019). "Turkey launches military operation in northern Syria". The Guardian.
  23. ^ "Turkey begins ground offensive in northeastern Syria". Al Jazeera. 10 October 2019.
  24. ^ Candar, Cengiz (30 September 2019). "Erdogan's Syria plan: Resettling the Syrian refugees or ousting Kurds from their land?". Al-Monitor.
  25. ^ "Subscribe to read". Financial Times. {{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help)
  26. ^ a b "Turkey's plan to settle refugees in northeast Syria alarms allies". 8 October 2019 – via www.reuters.com.
  27. ^ Dockery, Wesley (9 October 2019). "Turkey Begins Military Operation Against Kurds After Trump Pulls Troops In Northern Syria". International Business Times.
  28. ^ "After US green light, Turkey prepares military operation in Syria". Arab News. 7 October 2019.
  29. ^ "World reacts to Turkey's military operation in northeast Syria". Al Jazeera.
  30. ^ Syria blames Kurdish forces for Turkish military offensive. Xinhua, 10 October 2019.
  31. ^ "Safe Zone: Existing Project But Deferred Details". Enab Baladi. 29 August 2019. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
  32. ^ Kurdistan24. "SDF command reveals details about buffer zone in northeast Syria". Kurdistan24. Retrieved 9 October 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  33. ^ "Turkey says U.S. stalling on Syria 'safe zone', will act alone if needed". Reuters. 10 September 2019. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
  34. ^ "Erdoğan cites U.S.-Turkey disagreement over safe zone as joint patrols begin in Syria". Ahval. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
  35. ^ "Turkey to initiate own plans if safe zone deal fails". TRT World. 18 September 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  36. ^ "Turkey's Syria 'safe zone' deadline expires". gulfnews.com. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
  37. ^ Simkins, J. D. (8 October 2019). "Trump on pulling US troops out of Syria: 'We're not a police force'". Military Times.
  38. ^ Crowley, Michael; Gall, Carlotta (8 October 2019). "In Trump, Turkey's Erdogan Keeps Finding a Sympathetic Ear". The New York Times.
  39. ^ Hubbard, Ben; Gall, Carlotta (9 October 2019). "Turkey Launches Offensive Against U.S.-Backed Syrian Militia". The New York Times.
  40. ^ "Report: Turkish warplanes bombing Kurdish targets in northeast Syria". Ynetnews. 10 July 2019.
  41. ^ Desk, News (7 October 2019). "Russian Special Forces open new Euphrates crossing between SDF, SAA lines: photos". Al-Masdar News. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  42. ^ Desk, News (8 October 2019). "Kurdish-led SDF claim Syrian Army is preparing to capture Manbij". Al-Masdar News. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  43. ^ "The Turkish forces target the vicinity of Ras Al-Ayn area by shells and heavy machineguns, in conjunction with the arrival of new batches of factions loyal to Turkey to the latter's territory in the frame of the anticipated military operation • The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights". 8 October 2019.
  44. ^ "Civilians flee Syrian border towns as Turkish warplanes, artillery kick off offensive". Reuters. 9 October 2019 – via www.reuters.com.
  45. ^ McKernan, Bethan (9 October 2019). "Turkey launches military operation in northern Syria". The Guardian – via www.theguardian.com.
  46. ^ Turkey-Syria border: All the latest updates]
  47. ^ "Turkey begins military offensive in Syria: Live updates". www.cnn.com. 9 October 2019.
  48. ^ "YPG/PKK'lı teröristlerin attığı roket Nusaybin'e düştü | STAR". Star.com.tr.
  49. ^ "Nusaybin ve Ceylanpınar'a havan mermisi düştü!". takvim.com.tr.
  50. ^ "Turkey launches assault on Syrian Kurdish forces". AFP.com.
  51. ^ "EXCLUSIVE-US-backed Syrian forces halt counter-Islamic State operations -sources". news.yahoo.com.
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  53. ^ "'Panic' as Turkish Ground Troops Push into Northeast Syria, 'Humanitarian Catastrophe' Feared by Kurdish Civilians". 9 October 2019.
  54. ^ "Barış Pınarı'nda kara harekatı da başladı". www.haberturk.com.
  55. ^ Bali, Mustafa (9 October 2019). "Ground attack by Turkish forces has been repelled by SDF fighters in Til Abyad. No advance as of now".
  56. ^ "Turkey-Syria border: All the latest updates". www.aljazeera.com.
  57. ^ "Renewed clashes between the Kurdish forces and pro-Turkey factions in the north-eastern parts of Aleppo countryside • The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights". 10 October 2019.
  58. ^ "- TSK, Tel Erkam Köyüne Yakın Bağlantı Yolunu Kontrol Altına Aldı- Tabatin ve Al-mushrifah Köyleri..." Haberler.com.
  59. ^ "Wayback Machine". web.archive.org. 10 October 2019.
  60. ^ https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/trump-says-jihadists-will-be-escaping-to-europe-in-potential-jailbreak/
  61. ^ http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/hain-saldiri-bir-aci-haber-daha-7-sehit-85-yarali-41348374
  62. ^ "Erdogan threatens to flood Europe with 3.6 million refugees if EU calls Turkish operation in Syria an 'invasion'". 10 October 2019.
  63. ^ "109 'terrorists' killed in Turkish offensive in Syria, says Erdogan". The Irish Times. 10 October 2019.
  64. ^ "Hainler Akçakale'de sivilleri hedef aldı".
  65. ^ "Hain saldırı: 6 sivil şehit!".
  66. ^ "Son dakika haberi: YPG sivilleri hedef aldı! Biri bebek 4 şehit".
  67. ^ "21 ayrı noktaya havan düştü: 2 şehit, 46 yaralı".
  68. ^ "Nusaybin'de 3 ayrı noktaya havan saldırısı: 3 şehit, 24 yaralı".
  69. ^ "Terör örgütü'nün saldırısında bir anne ve 2 kızı şehit düştü". Memurlar.Net.
  70. ^ Gall, Carlotta; Kingsley, Patrick (10 October 2019). "Shells Fired into Turkey as Syria Offensive Extends into 2nd Day". The New York Times.
  71. ^ "Turkey presses Syrian assault as thousands flee the fighting". 10 October 2019.
  72. ^ https://www.yenisafak.com/dunya/ypg-pkk-gazetecilerin-oldugu-restorana-ates-acti-2-gazeteci-yaralandi-3509980
  73. ^ https://www.cnnturk.com/turkiye/son-dakika-teror-orgutu-ypgden-havanli-saldiri-suructa-2-kisi-hayatini-kaybetti
  74. ^ https://www.mynet.com/baris-pinari-harekati-nda-ayn-el-arab-daki-teror-hedefleri-top-atislari-ile-vuruldu-110105987683
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