Pro-Assad forces shell Turkish positions in Syria

AFRIN, SYRIA: Pro-Syrian government forces shelled Turkish positions in northern Syria on Wednesday in response to a Turkish air strike that killed five of their fighters, a pro-government commander said.

The Shi'ite militia fighters used artillery to target the Turkish positions in the town of Marea, north of Aleppo, the commander told Reuters.



The Turkish air strike hit a checkpoint on the road to Afrin, where Turkey is waging an offensive against the Kurdish YPG militia, he said. Pro-government forces have sided with the YPG against Turkey in Afrin.



On the other hand, President Tayyip Erdogan said he hoped Turkey's military and its rebel allies would completely capture the northern Syrian town of Afrin by Wednesday evening, a day after the armed forces said it had encircled the town.

Speaking to local administrators in Ankara, Erdogan also
said civilians in Afrin town were being evacuated in cars
through a special corridor, as Turkish forces made substantial
advances against Kurdish fighters in their nearly two-month-old
offensive. Erdogan also said that Turkey will stomp strongly on terrorist groups in Northern Iraq soon.