Russian Sources: Kurds Planning to Escalate Afrin Battle in Turkey

Russian media sources confirmed that the Kurdish fighters have received new weapons as they are resisting against the Ankara-backed militants in Afrin region, adding that they intend to likely spread the clashes to Turkey.

The Arabic service of RT news channel quoted the Russian Svobodnaya Pressa news website as reporting that as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has threatened to intensify attacks against Afrin in Aleppo province, the situation in Northwestern Syria is exacerbating.

It added that the Kurds will not suffice to resistance against the Turkish army and will launch counter attacks and spread the clashes to the Turkish areas bordering with Syria.

Meantime, Karim Yildrim, a Turkish military analyst, disclosed that the Kurds now hold new weapons enabling them to resist against the Turkish army's most advanced weapons.

The Turkish army had earlier warned the Kurds against using different types of US and European arms.

A Kurdish media outlet reported on Tuesday that the Turkish Army's artillery units pounded for the first time the Central part of the town of Afrin in Northwestern Aleppo, inflicting an unspecified number of casualties on the civilian population.

Hawar news reported that the artillery units of the Turkish army and Ankara-backed militants opened heavy fire at populated neighborhoods in the Central part of Afrin.

It went on to say that the artillery units also targeted Afrin Hospital inside the town, killing and wounding a number of civilians, including several children. Yet, the news outlet said the exact number of casualties is not clear yet.
 (FNA)
 13/2/18