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Translated from Russian; Originally appeared at warsonline.info
Since the November 27 the situation has been escalating around Afrin region in northwestern Syria. Enclosed on the region’s perimeter, the Turkish artillery and tanks opened fire on northeastern, eastern and southern parts of front. The Kurdish forces have returned fire and defended against two attacks of pro-Turkish militants from direction of Aazaz.
The Turkish forces did not relent on November 28. Despite the fact that the Turkish government does not hide its desire to conduct a full fledged attack on Afrin, they have tried to create an illusion of the Kurdish aggression to create a casus belli (an act or event that provokes or is used to justify war). The Turkish media published reports of the Kurdish forces attacking the Turkish Army checkpoint in Kilis province, injuring one serviceman in the process. The key message of those reports being the Kurds in Afrin “pose a threat to Turkey’s national security.”
The command of the Kurdish People People’s Protection Units (YPG) in Afrin published a statement about the Turkish artillery fire and media provocations. The statement said that the Turkish military deliberately warp the facts and try to legitimize their attack on Afrin.
The statement reads as follows:
“The media of the Turkish occupation army claim that our forces are attacking them on the border and that the soldiers of the Turkish occupation army are protecting themselves. With these lies they want to legislate the attack on Afrin and northern Syria.
For a long time, the Turkish occupation army continued to harass and abuse against Afrin and northern Syria. Yesterday, between 18:30 and 19:00, Turkish occupation army attacked with heavy and light weapons such as shells and Dushka, the villages of Tobal, Ikidama and Bukhaz which are belonging to Bulbul, in Afrin canton..
Our fighters responded to the attack, and clashes broke out. According to information reported, a soldier from Turkish occupation army was wounded. But the Turkish army’s media say our forces have started attacking. The attack began on the part of the Turkish occupation army, and our forces in the framework of legitimate defense responded to the attacks and protected the civilian area of Turkish occupation army.
The Turkish detection planes hovering over the canton and the Turkish occupation army is preparing to attack Afrin to occupy it intensively. We, as the People’s Protection Units, will not stand idly by in the face of these attacks and are prepared to protect Rojava’s people and the people of northern Syria.”
