Heavy fighting as Turkish troops advance into nortern Syria

Heavy fighting continues as Turkey presses ahead with its military operation against Kurdish fighters in northeast Syria, now in its sixth day.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says the offensive aims to remove the Kurdish-led forces from the border area and create a “safe zone” to which millions of Syrian refugees can be returned.

The move came after the United States announced it was withdrawing its troops from the area, leaving the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), its main ally in the battle against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS) armed group, without US military support.

Turkey will not back down from its offensive against Kurdish fighters in northeastern Syria “no matter what anyone says”, Erdogan reiterated, adding that the battle would continue until “ultimate victory” is achieved.

“We are determined to continue the operation until the end, without paying attention to threats. We will absolutely finish the job we started. Our battle will continue until ultimate victory is achieved,” Erdogan said during a speech in the Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku.

He also slammed the European Union and Arab League for their criticism of Turkey’s operation and asked for international funds for Ankara’s “safe zone” plans in northeast Syria.