In a surprise move, the Turkish military and the National Syrian Army (NSA) have managed to cut a key road in Syria’s northeastern region.
The road, which links the border towns of al-Darbasiyah and Ras al-Ayn in northern al-Hasakah, was cut by Turkey forces in the afternoon of October 10. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) didn’t show any serious resistance.
In the northern Raqqa countryside, Turkish forces continued their advance capturing the towns of Mushrfat al-Hawi and Barzan as well as the farmlands of Haj Ali and Bani Mashur, east of the key town of Tell Abyad.
Earlier, the Turkish military captured several villages and towns around Tell Abyad and Ras al- Ayn in what appears to be an attempt to isolate the two key towns.
The ground attack is being carried out in the framework of Operation Peace Spring, which was launched a day earlier. The aim of the operation’s first phase is to establish a “safe zone” over an area about 30 km deep and stretching about 120 km along the border between Tell Abyad and Ras al- Ayn.
