Aftermath of Kurdish shelling
In the morning of April 19, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) shelled a Turkish military base near the town of al-Malikia in the northern Aleppo countryside. The Kurdish-led group also destroyed a battle tank of Turkish-backed forces with an anti-tank guided missile (ATGM).
“The SDF targeted the Turkish bases in al-Malikia with mortar shells while Turkish vehicles were returning from the area of Kafr Khasher,” Yusuf Hammoud, a spokesman for the Turkish-backed National Syrian Army (NSA), told the Enab Baladi news outlet.
According to the pro-opposition outlet, the Kurdish attack provoked a fierce response from the Turkish military artillery, which shelled several positions of the SDF near al-Malikia.
Later, the artillery exchange developed into heavy clashes, which lasted for several hours. Despite this, both sides have not acknowledged any loses, so far.
Such escalations between Kurdish and Turkish forces have become a common occurrence in northern Aleppo. The area is witnessing much tension as Ankara demands the establishment of a “safe zone” along the border with Syria.
