Turkey has sent reinforcements to the border with Syria, Turkish media reported on Monday, after Washington ordered the withdrawal of its ground forces from the war-ravaged nation.
A Turkish military convoy with howitzers and artillery batteries as well as different units of the armed forces was deployed to the border district of Elbeyli in Kilis province, state news agency Anadolu reported.
The military reinforcements would take place “gradually”, the private IHA news agency reported, adding that parts of the convoy had entered Syria.
The deployment began over the weekend with around 100 vehicles, Hurriyet daily said, which had crossed into the Al-Bab region of northern Syria.
They were headed towards Jarabulus and Manbij which is held by a US-backed Kurdish YPG militia viewed by Ankara as “terrorists” linked to Kurdish insurgents inside Turkey.
Military reinforcements had also been sent to the Akcakale border town and Ceylanpinar district, both in the southeastern Sanliurfa province.
US President Donald Trump stunned the US political establishment and allies last week when he decided to pull 2,000 troops from Syria just days after his Turkish counterpart warned Ankara would soon launch a new operation in the country’s north.
Source: AFP
