- Title: Explosions in Ras Al Ain as military offensive continues into second week
- Date: 15th October 2019
- Summary: RAS AL AIN, SYRIA (AS FILMED FROM CEYLANPINAR, TURKEY) (OCTOBER 15, 2019) (REUTERS) VIEW OF SYRIAN BORDER TOWN OF RAS AL AIN AS SEEN FROM TURKISH SIDE, PLUMES OF SMOKE FROM EXPLOSIONS VIEW OF TOWN AND SMOKE RISING FROM TWO EXPLOSIONS VARIOUS OF THICK SMOKE COVERING HORIZON EXPLOSIONS AND SMOKE ROCKING TOWN VARIOUS OF SMOKE AND EXPLOSIONS SEEN FROM TURKISH SIDE HEAVY EXPLOSION ROCKING TOWN AND SMOKE RISING
- Embargoed: 29th October 2019 07:27
- Keywords: Syrian army Ras Al Ain U.S. troops Erdogan Trump Kurdish YPG border town
- Location: RAS AL AIN, SYRIA (AS FILMED FROM CEYLANPINAR, TURKEY)
- City: RAS AL AIN, SYRIA (AS FILMED FROM CEYLANPINAR, TURKEY)
- Country: Turkey
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Military Conflicts
- Reuters ID: LVA001B17IC07
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Heavy explosions and thick plumes of smoke rose from Syria's border town of Ras al Ain on Tuesday (October 15) as Turkey's military offensive in northern Syria entered its second week.
President Tayyip Erdogan says the campaign aimed to create a safe zone within Syria for which to resettle some 3.6 million refugees it hosts as well defeat the Kurdish YPG militia which it views as a terrorist group because of its links to Kurdish separatists in Turkey.
The offensive began when U.S. President Donald Trump decided to withdraw U.S. troops that have been deployed in Syria to help the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces alliance fight Islamic State.
The decision prompted the Kurds, once a Washington ally and a foe of the Syrian government, to invite government troops to deploy in the area to fill the void left by U.S. troops and fend off the Turkish attack.
Syrian government forces quickly deployed into the area giving them a foothold in the biggest remaining swathe of the country that had been beyond their grasp.
They will now face Turkish armed forces along a new front line hundreds of miles long.
(Production: Mert Ozkan, Yesim Dikmen, Ayat Basma) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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