The Turkish military claimed that 25 fighters in the Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG), the dominant force within the SDF, were killed in its airstrikes on Sunday.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported the deaths of at least 40 civilians in villages south of Jarablus as well as the deaths of at least four YPG.
The YPG have not confirmed any casualties among their ranks but they report the deaths of tens of civilians in Turkish airstrikes in Bir Alkosa village, 13 kilometres south of Jarablus.
#BREAKING: Tens of civilians massacred in Turkish air strike, artillery fire on Bir Al-Kusa village, 13km south of #Jarablus. #Turkey #Syria
— Rojava Defense Units (@DefenseUnits) August 28, 2016
Shervan Derwish, spokesperson for the SDF, also reported a “large number” of civilians were killed in the villages of Megher-Sresat and Kousa south of Jarablus.
Large numbers of civilian martyrs today in villages Megher-Sresat & Kousa by Turkish artillery & airstrikes.
— Shervan Derwish (@servankobane) August 28, 2016
South #Jarablus
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that at least 20 civilians were killed in Turkish airstrikes and artillery fire in Jeb el-Kussa on Sunday and another 20 were killed in airstrikes on al-Amarneh. Approximately 75 civilians were wounded in the two villages, many seriously.
The Free Syrian Army (FSA) announced that, with support of Turkey, they have launched an operation to retake Kharba and Hajaji villages to the south of Jarablus. The second phase of the Euphrates Shield operation seeks retake villages around Jarablus from Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
Media sources close to the YPG said that the Turkish army is bombing YPG and YPJ (Women’s Protection Units) bases in Bir Alkosa village as well as Mosaka and Pira villages in the Rajo area of Afrin.
Turkey crossed the border into Syria five days ago, claiming that its goal was to cleanse the border areas of terrorists – naming both Islamic State and Kurdish forces.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, however, Turkey’s offensive has so far focused largely on the Kurds as the Turkish army and allied forces push south into areas that were recently liberated by the SDF with the goal of reaching Manbij, a city that was a key staging point for militants and supplies entering ISIS-controlled territory from Turkey until the SDF recaptured it on August 12, defeating ISIS after a bitter two and a half months-long campaign.
