144 hours of Operation “Peace Spring”: 250 thousand displaced, regime forces continue to deploy in several locations and US forces prevent them from entering “Ain al-Arab”. Almost 295 dead among the SDF, Turkish soldiers and factions loyal to Ankara
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights,
October 2019
Northern Syria is still witnessing several developments, 144 hours (6 full days) after the launch of the Turkish military operation, the so-called “Peace Spring”, as the past few hours witnessed several developments, with the continued shelling and intense battles between the SDF and its military councils on the one hand and Turkish forces and factions loyal to them on the other. Regime forces completed their deployment on axes in the area of ”Ain Issa” north of Raqqa, while the “Syrian Observatory” monitored the entry of regime forces to “Manbij” in the northeastern countryside of Aleppo, in conjunction with the continued withdrawal of coalition forces from the city. The Observatory also monitored the return of the regime forces’ convoy, which was expected to enter the city of Ain al-Arab (Kobani), to ”Manbij” northeast of Aleppo, after the US forces refused to allow the convoy to pass into the city.
The Syrian Observatory monitored the deployment of joint forces from the regime and SDF in the 93rd brigade of Ain Issa north of Raqqa city on the lines of contact with the Euphrates Shield area, more than five years after its expulsion by the Islamic State. Meanwhile, regime forces deployed near Tabqa city in Raqqa countryside, in addition to their deployment north of Tal Tamr area. The Syrian Observatory also observed movements of regime forces within the area between the cities of al-Hasakah and Ras al-Ain (Sri Kanye), where the regime’s forces are now about 6 km from the Syrian-Turkish border, and are expected to advance further towards the area of Ras al-Ain. Syrian Observatory sources also monitored the withdrawal of the international coalition forces from its military base in the area of ”Kharab Ishk” in Ain al-Arab (Kobani) countryside towards “Sarin” airport, while the regime forces deployed in “Gebish” area in Tal Tamr countryside. She heads to villages surrounding Al-Garniya town in the western Raqqa countryside.
All these developments come with continued violent clashes between the Turkish forces and the factions loyal to them on the one hand and the Syrian Democratic Forces and its military councils on the other hand, on several axes, resulting in a high number of deaths on both sides, in addition to the high number of civilian martyrs and the increasing number of displaced. Since the start of the fighting, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has been following the rapid developments on all fronts of the battle, in addition to the internal displacement and civilian casualties caused by indiscriminate Turkish shells that have hit civilians throughout northern Syria.
250 thousand displaced by Turkish operations, and more civilian casualties
Since the early hours of Wednesday morning, October 9, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has monitored displacement of civilians from different parts of the Euphrates region, fleeing the Turkish military operation in the area. According to the statistics of the “Observatory”, the number of displaced exceeded 250 thousand civilians displaced from their towns, cities and villages, where the movement of civilians continues from their areas in Tal Abyad, Ras Al-Ain, Darbasiyah, Ain Al Arab, Ain Issa and other areas east of the Euphrates at the border with Turkey. According to Syrian Observatory statistics Human rights, the number of displaced people exceeded 250 thousand civilians toward the depth of the region, amid the difficult humanitarian situation in the region due to the huge numbers of displaced persons, in addition to the lack of water in al-Hasakah, and the outage of power stations due to shelling and clashes. According to sources of the SOHR, several cities, towns and villages are completely depopulated.
The Turkish military operation, known as Operation Peace Spring, continues to have consequences for civilians, as the number of casualties among civilians increased as a result of indiscriminate shells, bombing and battles launched by Turkey on northern Syria. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the number of civilians killed since the beginning of the Turkish military operation has risen to 71, including 21 children, a party official and two citizens due to being shot dead and field execution by Turkish-backed factions on the highway south of Tel Abyad and areas north of Ain Issa. In addition, 19 were killed by Turkish airstrikes targeting the city of Ras al-Ain and its environs. A child was killed in the shelling on the perimeter and the countryside of Ras Al-Ain area in Hasakah countryside, 4 killed by Turkish air strikes on the village of Al-Bajiya in Tal Abyad area, 3 by sniper in Tal Abyad, a girl in shelling targeting al-Qahtaniya countryside, and a man by a Turkish sniper in the city Al-Derbasiyah. Also, a woman was killed by a Turkish sniper in al-Qamishli city, a man due to Turkish missile shelling on the outskirts of “Qasr Deeb” village in al-Malikiyah countryside. In terms of targeting civilians, Turkish warplanes bombed a humanitarian support convoy in Ras al-Ain, which arrived from Tel Tamr, which included foreign and local journalists, killing 19 people, 15 of them were civilians, including a female citizen and 2 local reporters. In addition, 2 civilians were killed in bombing by the Turkish-backed factions on the village of Alvarat north of the city of Manbij.
Turkey now controls 51 areas, “SDF” regains “Ras Al-Ain” and “Tal Half”
Over the course of 5 days, the Syrian Observatory monitored the progress of Turkish forces and their affiliated factions with intensive air and ground cover in at least 51 districts of Tal Abyad and Ras Al-Ain districts, where Turkish forces extended their control over the city of Tal Abyad, as well as towns, villages of Selouk, Mazra’at Al-Hammadi, Abu Qabr, Mazra’at al-Massihi, Hamida, Al-Mahdah, Dadat, Al-Yabsah, Al-Mushrifah, Tel-Fender, Bir-Asheq, Al-Tuwaraziyah, Zakah, Huwairan, Al-Wasta, Al-Ghajer, Shokan, Al-Khaldia, Al-Arida, Nabhan, Um Al-Garn, Ghazil, Al-Hawi, Tabbin, Al-Suwayn, Jamous Filo, Al-Zaidi, Al-Droubiyah, Ain Al-Arous, Tel Antar, Al-Badi, Jassem Al-Ali in Tal Abyad. Turkey also now controls Mabrouka town, and the villages of Kantari, Wadha, Twigel, Alouk, Keshtu, Aksas, Tal Khanzeer, Al Azizia, Baloja, Abu Al-Saoun, Hweish Al-Nasser, Al-Naim, Sahaleya, Libya, Tal Al-Banat, Kajo, Al-Mada’in and Nahih in Ras Al-Ain. Meanwhile, SDF managed to regain control of the entire city of Ras al-Ain, as well as the town of Tal Halaf.
As a result of the continuous battels, the death toll among the Syria Democratic Forces, military councils and internal security forces since the start of the Turkish military operation on Wednesday afternoon have risen to 158, while the number of deaths among Syrian factions loyal to Ankara and the pro-Turkey cells killed in the attacks and clashes with the SDF during the same period reached 128, including 21 of the cells loyal to Ankara killed in clashes with the SDF, in addition to eight Turkish soldiers were killed during the battels, whom Turkey admitted the death of only 5 of them, amid information about more dead Turks on the Turkish-Syrian border, and the number of those killed is likely to rise due to the high number of wounded, some of them in dangerous situations.
At the same time, Ain Issa camp witnessed tensions and chaos after a clash of hands, firearms and cold weapons. The clashes broke out between the families of ISIS members and displaced civilians, resulting in the death of a man and a woman and injuring others. Sources told the SOHR that the camp was evacuated completely from the displaced, where all the displaced fled without information about their destination so far.