- Title: Shelling rocks Syrian border town as Turkey presses offensive
- Date: 17th October 2019
- Summary: RAS AL AIN, SYRIA (AS FILMED FROM CEYLANPINAR, TURKEY) (OCTOBER 17, 2019) (REUTERS) DARK COLUMN OF SMOKE RISING / FLASH FROM EXPLOSION SMOKE RISING ABOVE BUILDINGS DARK COLUMN OF SMOKE, FIRES FROM EXPLOSION
- Embargoed: 31st October 2019 10:35
- Keywords: Kurds FSA Turkey Middle East YPG assault Syria Assad border Erdogan
- Location: RAS AL AIN, SYRIA (AS FILMED FROM CEYLANPINAR, TURKEY)
- City: RAS AL AIN, SYRIA (AS FILMED FROM CEYLANPINAR, TURKEY)
- Country: Syria
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA001B1HKH1J
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Dark columns of smoke and explosions could be seen over the skyline of Ras al Ain on Thursday (October 17) as shelling bombarded the Syrian border town.
Turkey's week-long assault has created a new humanitarian crisis in Syria with 160,000 civilians taking flight, a security alert over thousands of Islamic State fighters abandoned in Kurdish jails, and a political maelstrom at home for U.S. President Donald Trump.
Trump's decision to withdraw U.S. forces before a Turkish offensive into northern Syria last week has shattered the relative calm there and he has been accused of abandoning Kurdish militia who helped the United States fight Islamic State militants in the region.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has rejected a global chorus of calls to halt the offensive, which Turkey says will create a "safe zone" extending 20 miles (32 km) into northeast Syria to ensure the return of millions of Syrian refugees and clear the area of Kurdish fighters Ankara views as terrorists.
(Production: Mert Ozkan, Aiden Nulty) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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