Syrian-Turkish border

A convoy of Russian military vehicles drives toward the northeastern Syrian city of Kobane on October 23, 2019 (AFP)

October 23, 2019, 4:51 pm

Russian forces deploy at Syrian border under new accord with Turkey

Kremlin tells Kurdish fighters to pull back from frontier or face being ‘steamrolled’ by Erdogan’s troops

By Suzan Fraser and LEFTERIS PITARAKIS

Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan shake hands before their meeting in the Bocharov Ruchei residence in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Russia, October 22, 2019. (Presidential Press Service via AP, Pool )

October 22, 2019, 10:05 pm

Kurds pull out from Syria border region as Putin, Erdogan reach buffer zone deal

Hours before Ankara set to resume offensive against US allies, leaders of Turkey and Russia agree to create 20-mile deep area free of Kurdish fighters

By Suzan Fraser and VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses an African Muslim Religious Leaders Summit, in Istanbul, October 19, 2019 (Presidential Press Service via AP, Pool)

October 22, 2019, 12:44 pm

Erdogan warns Syria offensive will resume unless Kurds complete pullout

Turkish leader continues threats ahead of meeting with Putin; dismisses French request for ceasefire extension, claiming Paris talking to ‘terrorists’ but not to him

By AFP

US military vehicles drive on a street in the town of Tal Tamr on October 20, 2019, after pulling out of their base. (Photo by Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP)

October 20, 2019, 2:44 pm

US forces withdraw from key base in northern Syria

Two days before ceasefire with Turkey expires, troops leave Sarrin base on edge of proposed ‘safe zone’

By AFP

This picture taken on October 17, 2019 from the Turkish side of the border with Syria in the Ceylanpinar district city of Sanliurfa shows smoke and fire rising from the Syrian town of Ras al-Ayn during the Turkish offensive against Kurdish groups in northeastern Syria. (Photo by Ozan KOSE / AFP)

October 17, 2019, 3:50 pm

Kurdish politician urges Israeli diplomatic intervention to stop Turkish assault

Speaking to Israeli radio, lawmaker calls for action ‘to save the Kurdish people,’ as authorities ask for humanitarian corridor, accuse Ankara of using banned weapons in Syria

By TOI staff and AFP

A Syrian woman who is newly displaced by the Turkish military operation in northeastern Syria, carries her son upon her arrival at the Bardarash camp, north of Mosul, Iraq, October 16, 2019. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

October 17, 2019, 10:44 am

Aid groups scramble to reach Syrians as battle lines shift

‘We have to leave,’ says Save the Children official as Turkish onslaught displaces 160,000 people, forcing them to flee to makeshift refugee camps

By Joseph Krauss and Andrea Rosa

Syrian families fleeing the battle zone between Turkey-led forces and Kurdish fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in and around the northern flashpoint town of Ras al-Ain on the border with Turkey, arrive along with Syrian Arab and Kurdish civilians in the city of Tal Tamr on the outskirts of Hasakeh on October 15, 2019. (Photo by Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP)

October 15, 2019, 2:52 pm

Syrian Kurds defend key border town as Turkey continues onslaught

Despite much of border being seized by Ankara in week-long operation, SDF fighters still putting up a fight in Ras al-Ain as Erdogan ignores US pressure

By Delil Souleiman and Shaun Tandon

Mourners attend a funeral, for Kurdish political leader Hevrin Khalaf and others including civilians and Kurdish fighters, in the northeastern Syrian Kurdish town of Derik, known as al-Malikiyah in Arabic, on October 13, 2019 (Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP)

October 13, 2019, 11:21 pm

Kurds announce deal with Syria on troop deployment to confront Turkey

Abandoned by the US and facing possible ‘genocide,’ Kurdish fighters will move towards a compromise involving Assad and Russia, leader says

By Rouba El Husseini

This picture taken on October 13, 2019 from the Turkish city of Ceylanpinar shows smoke rising and explosions in the Syrian border town of Ras al-Ayn as fighting rages along the border on the fifth day of a Turkish offensive in Syria (Ozan KOSE / AFP)

October 13, 2019, 8:09 pm

US says up to 1,000 troops to leave north Syria as dozens more civilians die

Defense secretary says move comes after the US learned Turkey pressing further in than had been expected; Erdogan declares threats of sanctions won’t stop offensive

By AFP

An elderly man is evacuated from a building in Akcakale, a town near the Turkish border with Syria, on October 13, 2019, after it was hit by a rocket reported to be fired from within Syria. (Photo by BULENT KILIC / AFP)

October 13, 2019, 1:24 pm

UN: Turkey assault has displaced 130,000 and number could triple

Humanitarian agency says it’s preparing for scenario in which up to 400,000 flee Kurdish areas

By AFP

Pro-Turkish Syrian fighters gather near the Turkish village of Akinci along the border with Syria on October 11, 2019. (Bakr ALKASEM / AFP)

October 12, 2019, 11:12 pm

France, Germany halt arms exports to Turkey as Arab League demands UN action

Thousands throughout Europe protest Turkish assault on Syria’s Kurds, while Ankara remains defiant

By Agencies

A member of the Kurdish Internal Security Force stands guard during a protest in the northern Syrian town of Hasakeh on October 12, 2019, against the Turkish offensives on Kurdish-held towns. (AFP)

October 12, 2019, 7:49 pm

Kurds urge US to assume ‘moral obligations,’ say they’re being left to slaughter

SDF chief said to accuse Washington of immoral behavior: ‘You are not willing to protect the people, but do not want another force to come and protect us’

By Agencies and TOI staff

A Turkish-backed Syrian rebel watches as smoke billows from the border town of Ras al-Ayn on October 12, 2019. (Nazeer Al-khatib/AFP)

October 12, 2019, 4:55 pm

Turkish forces claim to capture center of key Syrian border town; Kurds deny it

War monitor group also says Erdogan’s troops enter heart of Ras al-Ayn, marking most significant gain since invasion began; Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces say they’re still there

By Mehmet Guzel

Turkish-backed Syrian rebels gather in al-Bab city in the eastern countryside of Aleppo province on October 11, 2019 as they prepare to take part in Turkey's invasion of northeastern Syria. - Turkish and allied forces faced stiff Kurdish resistance as they battled to seize key border towns, on the third day of a broad offensive that sparked a civilian exodus. (Photo by Zein Al RIFAI / AFP)

October 11, 2019, 5:00 pm

Turkey pounds Syrian border towns on 3rd day of assault on Kurds, sparks exodus

At least 24 civilians and 42 soldiers killed, more than 70,000 displaced in offensive, facilitated by US withdrawal, that draws sharp international criticism

By Nazeer al-Khatib and Delil Souleiman

Syrian Kurds take part in a demonstration against Turkish threats at a US-led international coalition base on the outskirts of Ras al-Ain town, in Syria's Hasakeh province near the Turkish border, on October 6, 2019. (Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP)

October 7, 2019, 2:45 pm

UN ‘preparing for the worst’ from Turkey’s Syria operation

Despite fears its threatened offensive against a Kurdish militia could bolster jihadists, Turkey says it won’t allow IS to return to area

By AFP