The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

Escalating the shelling on Afrin by the Turkish forces and the factions enters its second week by shelling targeted it with areas north of Aleppo and reconnaissance planes fly over it

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights learned that the shelling on Afrin area by the Turkish forces and the factions supported by them that operate within “The Euphrates Shield” Operation, is still continuing after it entered its second week since it started on the 13th of January 2018, and reliable sources confirmed to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights that the shelling which was carried out today the 20th of January 2018, targeted areas in Qarrah Baba village and Jisr Hashraka as well as other places in the townships of Raju and Bulbula in Afrin countryside, in conjunction with shelling targeted areas in the villages of Bailuniyyah, Al-Malikiyah and Maraanaz in the northern countryside of Aleppo, and the shelling resulted in the fall of 2 wounded rising to 6 people including 2 children and a woman, the number of citizens, who were injured since the first day of escalation in addition to a fighter was killed few days before this shelling, and the shelling was accompanied by the flight of Turkish reconnaissance planes over Afrin area.

 

And the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published during the past 24 hours that the Turkish forces and the factions supported by them who operate within the “Euphrates Shield” Operation have targeted areas in Aqbiya village in Shirawa area and Dikmdash in Sharra Township, and in Iska, Bleblikah, Qarrah Baba, Jisr Hashraka, Surka, Jabal Keryeh and other areas in Raju Township, coincided with shelling targeted areas in Bulbula Township, also this shelling coincided with violent clashes lasted for a short period time between the Turkish Forces against groups of Syria Democratic Forces in Balyeh area of Bulbula Township located on the northern border of Afrin with the Turkish side, accompanied by exchange of targeting between both parties, but no information about was reported about casualties, this shelling was accompanied by targeting by the Turkish forces and the factions for areas in the villages of Samouqa, Hsajek and other areas controlled by the factions in the northern countryside of Aleppo, while warplanes believed to be Turkish was flying over the northeastern countryside of Aleppo, also clashes took place between fighters of the Turkey-supported rebel and Islamic factions against the Syria Democratic Forces, after which 2 fighters of the factions were killed, the sources of the Observatory confirmed that their bodies were in the hands of the Syria Democratic Forces, and the Turkish forces and Turkey-backed factions also targeted the area of Rubar Camp located in Basla area, and other places in the areas of Rajo, Judaris, Jisr Hashraka, Qura Baba, Hobka, Khalil, Haj Hasna, and other area in Shara district, resulting in the injury of a woman and more damage to the properties of citizens, rising to 4 people including 2 children and a woman, the number of citizens, who were injured since the first day of escalation on the 13th of January, and reliable sources stressed to the Syrian Observatory that the shelling was concentrated today on the western part of Afrin area, while the SOHR learned from several reliable sources that the Russian forces haven’t evacuated their positions in Afrin area so far, despite the escalation of preparations of the Turkish military operation claimed to begin within hours of upcoming days, and the SOHR published hours ago that the factions’ fighters headed to the border of Afrin with Turkey and Iskenderun, which comes in the frame of the Turkish operation which expected to be carried out at any moment, which will be spearheaded by the rebel and the Islamic factions and the factions of “The Euphrates Shield” Operation, and the sources also asserted to the SOHR that the operation will be carried out through 10 fronts at least, after the massive Turkish concentration of vehicles, equipment, soldiers, armored vehicles and tanks in order to be used in the operation in Afrin area in the north-western sector of Aleppo.