Turkey begins military operation in northwest Syria, 2 civilians killed

Two civilians were killed in airstrikes conducted by Turkish forces in Misharrafa village in northeastern Syria on Wednesday, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said.

Two civilians also sustained injuries in the airstrikes.

The airstrikes have come as part of the long-threatened military operation by Turkey in northeast Syria to remove Kurdish-led forces from the border area, reported CNN.

Hundreds of civilians in northern Syria have fled areas on the border ahead of the operation.

Hour before the military operation, US President Donald Trump took to Twitter to condemn America's military interventions in the Middle East, saying that the country has spent an estimated USD 8 trillion in "fighting and policing" in the region, and lost thousands of soldiers over the years.

 

"The United States has spent EIGHT TRILLION DOLLARS fighting and policing in the Middle East. Thousands of our Great Soldiers have died or been badly wounded. Millions of people have died on the other side. GOING INTO THE MIDDLE EAST IS THE WORST DECISION EVER MADE," Trump wrote on Twitter.

The US had pulled out its troops from Syria after Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan had announced that it would kick off a military air and ground operation in the country.

More than 1,000 US troops were deployed in northeastern Syria, where they work closely with the Kurdish YPG, which leads the Syrian Democratic Forces in the region. The Kurds have proven to be among Washington's most effective allies in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS) that has its stronghold in northern Syria.

Erdogan has repeatedly expressed frustration with Washington's close alliance with the Kurds along his country's border with Syria, linking them to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which is designated a terrorist organisation in Turkey. Washington also labels the PKK a terrorist group, but not the YPG.