Afrin: 11 killed in clashes between Turkish-backed Syrian opposition factions

Rudaw ^ | 18 Nov 2018 | Rudaw

[Cronos]

Fighting erupted on Sunday between rival factions of the Turkish-backed Syrian opposition in Syria’s Afrin, leaving 11 dead and 27 wounded, according to a war monitor. 

The Kurdish enclave of Afrin in northwestern Syria was taken over by Turkish forces and their Syrian opposition proxies in March this year. 

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said pro-Ankara Syrian opposition groups launched an assault on Sunday morning against the al-Sharqiya Martyrs, which had helped Turkey in the Afrin offensive. 

The group, which is part of Ahrar Sharqiya brigade, is led by Abu Khula and consists of around 200 fighters. It has been accused of “disobeying” Turkish forces and allegedly “committing abuses”, the monitor said.

CNN Turk says Turkish armed forces “launched an operation against the group which has been conducting looting and robbery in Afrin.”

The channel said Turkish forces had “imposed a curfew in the region’s streets” on Saturday night to prevent bloodshed. 

The operation was launched at dawn on Sunday, according to the ANF news agency.

The pro-YPG agency also reported that Turkish forces are targeting “mercenary” groups like Ahrar Sharqia and Hurras al-Din. 

A group, known as Afrin Activists, shared a number of videos on its Twitter account, claiming heavy clashed between these forces. Rudaw English could not independently verify the images. 

[Cronos]

The Turks and their Islamic proxies are now killing each other. Good. When the time comes the Kurds and the Syrian Army will mop them up

[SunkenCiv]

...pro-Ankara Syrian opposition groups launched an assault on Sunday morning against the al-Sharqiya Martyrs, which had helped Turkey in the Afrin offensive.

The Three Amigos

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani, Russia's Vladimir Putin and Turkey's Tayyip Erdogan meet in Sochi, Russia November 22, 2017. (photo credit: SPUTNIK/MIKHAIL METZEL/KREMLIN VIA REUTERS)