Turkey massing troops on Syrian border near Kurdish-held Manbij
Turkey moved masses of troops to its border with Syria on Sunday, near a town held by US-backed Kurdish forces. The move came just days after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that his military would not strike at the Kurdish YPG militia following the announcement of the US withdrawal from Syria.
Turkish media reported that the soldiers were moving near Manbij, where US forces fighting "Islamic State" (IS) terrorists have been based. According to the DHA news agency, a convoy of troops entered Syria overnight, into territory held by the Free Syrian Army (FSA), which has been supported by both the US and Turkey.
Erdogan has repeatedly vowed to dislodge the Kurdish fighters, which Turkey views an extension of Kurdish insurgents inside its own borders.
On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump shocked allies abroad and within his own administration by announcing a sudden removal of most of the US soldiers stationed in Syria. The move was welcomed by Russian President Vladmir Putin, who has backed the Syrian regime.
https://www.dw.com/en/turkey-massing-troops-on-syrian-border-near-kurdish-held-manbij/a-46848508
= new reply since forum marked as read