A Direct Turkey-Russia Clash Is Growing Risk on Syria Border
- Turkey is bombing Syrian Kurdish group backed by Russia, U.S.
- Assad-Russia front gains upper hand vs Turkey-backed rebels
Troops from the Syrian Democratic Forces prepare to fire mortars near Hasaka, in the autonomous region of Rojava, Syria, on Nov. 11, 2015.
Photographer: John Moore/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
There’s only one major group of combatants in the Syrian war that’s backed by both Russia and the U.S. -- and now Turkey is attacking it.
Since the weekend, Turkey has unleashed its 155-millimeter heavy guns across the border with Syria. The targets are Kurdish forces, whose recent advance is a key part of the Russian plan to extend President Bashar al-Assad’s control over Syria. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday refused to stop the shelling and said Turkey was acting in self-defense.