Turkey launched a ground incursion into northeastern Syria to force U.S.-backed Kurdish militants away from the border area, after President Donald Trump ordered U.S. forces to stand aside.
Turkish armored vehicles and tanks crossed into Syria after Turkish F-16s and artillery units targeted positions of Kurdish YPG militants earlier Wednesday. A spokesman for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces says the group has stopped its operations against Islamic State because it needs to focus on the threat from Turkey. The U.S. military relied heavily on SDF forces to retake Islamic State’s so-called caliphate. Mustafa Bali, a spokesman for the group, said six civilians have been killed so far.
