Turkey deploys tanks into Syria’s Afrin

Turkey deployed more tanks across the border into northwest Syria’s Afrin region as their offensive against the Kurdish YPG militia continued on Saturday (January 27). Turkish artillery fire could also be seen across the border into Syria from Hassa in Turkey.

Since the start of the incursion, dubbed “Operation Olive Branch” by Ankara, Erdogan has said Turkish forces would push east towards the town of Manbij, part of Kurdish-held territory some 100 km (60 miles) east of Afrin, where U.S. troops were deployed to deter Turkish and U.S.-backed rebels from clashing.

Any Turkish advance towards Manbij could affect U.S. efforts to stabilise northern Syria, where the United States has about 2,000 troops, officially as part of the international coalition against Islamic State.

The United States has told Turkey it would not provide any more weapons to the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, the Turkish presidency said on Saturday, as Turkey’s offensive against the U.S.-backed YPG in Syria entered its eighth day.