Image: aa.com.tr
The Turkish military and its Syrian proxies are still making preparations for a possible new operation against the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northern and northeastern Syria.
As a part of these preparations, the Turkish military deployed on July 6 T-155 Fırtına 155 mm self-propelled howitzers in the northern countryside of Aleppo. The howitzers entered the region through the Bab al-Salamah border crossing. A video taken near the crossing shows at least four T-155s moving in.
The T-155 is a Turkish variant of the South Korean K9 Thunder. The howitzer has a maximum firing range of 30-40 kilometers and can fire up to six rounds per minute.
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The northern Aleppo countryside will reportedly be the focal point of any new Turkish operation against the SDF. According to recent remarks by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the two main targets will be the towns of Tell Rifaat and Manbij.
The SDF has been taking Turkey’s threats very seriously. On July 6, the group’s Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria declared a “state of emergency”.
While the SDF is not allied to Russia or the central Syrian government in Damascus, both have been taking steps to prevent Turkey from launching a military operation against the group. Very recently, Russia deployed 600 paratroops at a key airport in northeastern Syria for that purpose.
Turkey appears to be determined to go on with its military plans. The new operation against the SDF could began shortly after the end of the Islamic Eid al-Adha holiday on July 13.
After Eid Turkish raid will start.
agree but i think Turkey killer many children
I bet the Russians are watching all these developments and, waiting to see what happens next? Once terrorists move in, Russia will srike