Turkey continues to attack US ally in Syria

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — The Turkish army Tuesday targeted positions of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) in Gire Spi (Tal Abyad), the YPG claimed in a statement.

“At 1100 hours on October 27, attacking with heavy weapons, the Turkish army targeted the Defense Units’ border positions to the west of the town Gire Spi,” the YPG said.

“Simultaneously between 1815 hours and 1830 hours, Turkish military forces carried out another offensive with heavy weaponry while conducting unusual movements with Akrep armored vehicles on the border with the city of Gire Spi,” it added.

Turkey, which fears a strong Kurdish foothold in northeast Syria fueling nationalist sentiments within its own Kurdish population, also attacked Kurdish fighters on Sunday in Gire Spi.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu confirmed Sunday’s attack on the YPG in an interview with the Turkish ATV channel on Monday.

"We said, the PYD (the YPG’s political wing) will not go west of the Euphrates and that we would hit it the moment it did," the Turkish premier said.

US officials have hailed the YPG as a reliable and effective partner against ISIS. Washington continues to support the group despite Ankara’s growing disapproval.

Turkey first attacked the YPG in June, and has expressed its displeasure with the YPG’s territorial gains. It has warned that it will not allow the YPG to take over the border town of Jarablus that is currently controlled by ISIS, Nusra Front and other extremist groups.