The Turkish forces expand their areas of shelling against the SDF and shell the triangle of the Iraqi – Syrian – Turkish borders after targeting the countryside of Afrin and Kobani

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored that the Turkish forces expanded their areas of targeting on areas controlled by the SDF on the Syrian –Turkish border, where the Turkish forces targeted on Thursday evening, the 18th of January 2018, places in the countryside of Al-Mailikiya town located in the triangle of the Turkish – Syrian – Turkish forces, and the Turkish shelling targeted a village near the border, and there is information about shelling targeting vehicles of the SDF while moving in areas near Baraf area, amid targeting by fires of heavy machine guns by the SDF at positions of the Turkish forces, and there is no information about human losses in the ranks of both parties, and this coincided with the escalation of shelling that entered the 6th day of a row, and the Turkish forces targeted Afrin and its countryside and the countryside of Ain Al-Arab (Kobani).

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published hours ago that the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored that a demonstration went out including thousands of citizens of Afrin city, its villages and its districts, where intersected sources confirmed to confirmed to Syrian Observatory for Human Rights that the demonstrations condemned the Turkish movement and the operation intended to be carried out against Afrin area, and called on the International Community to move and stop the Turkish operation, and they also condemned the ongoing Turkish shelling for the 6th consecutive day, targeting places in Afrin area controlled by the YPG, and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored shelling by the Turkish forces targeting Sharran District, Kafr Janna area, Dakmidash village, Jisr Hashraka and Rajo area in Afrin countryside, in addition to shelling targeted Tel Jijan, Shaykh Issa, the vicinity of Menagh Airbase, Samuqiyyah, Kafr Nasih village, and other areas in near Al-Shahba’ Dam in the northern countryside of Aleppo, and the Turkish forces also targeted areas in the countryside of Ayn Al-Arab (Kobani) at the eastern banks of the Euphrates River, which caused material damage and losses in the property of the citizens, without information about casualties.

And the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published during the past 24 hours that it monitored new targeting to Afrin area, in the north-western countryside of Aleppo, as a part of the ongoing escalation since the 13th of January 2018, by the Turkish forces, on the area controlled by the YPG, after the latest declarations of the Turkish President about preparations which are taking place to start a military operation against the YPG in Afrin area, in which this escalation coincides with Turkish military movements of bringing reinforcements and digging on the border in the Turkish side, and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored this morning Thursday the 18th of January 2018, that the Turkish forces targeted the area of Jisr Hashraka and other places in Rajo area in conjunction with shelling on Dakmidash village in Afrin countryside, near the border line with Turkey, while several explosions shook places in the YPG-controlled area of Afrin, caused by shelling intersected sources said that its source was the Turkey-supported “Euphrates Shield” Operation Forces and factions operate in the western countryside of Aleppo, where they targeted places in the vicinity of Kafr Jannah, Basutah area and other places in Qastal Jandu areas in the countryside of Afrin and Kafr Khasher area in the northern countryside of Aleppo, causing material damage but no information about casualties, in conjunction with by YPG for areas in the vicinity and outskirts Azaz city, while clashes are taking place between the factions against YPG fighters in places in the northern countryside of Aleppo, on the contact lines between both parties, amid information about closing the roads between Azaz and Afrin, and it is noteworthy that Afrin area witnessed repeated shelling in the past few months by the Turkish forces which turned during the past two months hold their control over points where they can be presented in the vicinity of Afrin area, and in the outskirts of the YPG-held areas, after they entered the area and carried out reconnaissance operations in Idlib and Aleppo countryside, in order to determine the most suitable place, and these rounds took place with the accompanying and the protection of Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham which secured the entry of the Turkish forces and their reconnaissance to the area, until they hold their points.