An F4E Phantom II aircraft with the Turkish Air Force (Türk Hava Kuvvetleri) takes off from Third Air Force Base Konya, Turkey, during Exercise Anatolian Eagle. Source: WIKIPEDIA
‘Unknown warplanes’ have repportedly bombed positions of the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) – the core of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) – near Barsaya mountain in northern Syria.
Intitially reports about the alleged air raid appeared in accounts of pro-Turkish media activists. Later, al-Jazeera Syria also reported this, citing its local correspondent.
#الجزيرة_سوريا | مراسل #الجزيرة : غارة جوية تستهدف مواقع لوحدات الحماية الكردية قرب #اعزاز بريف #حلب
— الجزيرة سوريا (@AJA_Syria) April 20, 2017
The alleged airstrikes took place northwest of an important stronghold of pro-Turkish militants in northern Syria – Azaz.
Indeed, the only side that has means and reasons to conduct air raids against YPG in northern Syria is Turkey. If confirmed, this will likely mean that Ankara is testing Moscow and Washington in order to see their reaction to these actions.
This step is just a part of Ankara’s long-run strategy aimed at supressing Kurdish militias in Syria. Earlier, this month firefights between pro-Turkish militants and SDF/YPG fighters erupted in the area near Tell Rifat.
