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Terrorist Attacks in Syria Intensify Against Backdrop Of Turkish Offensive - Russian Military

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced earlier this week the launch of the offensive, dubbed Operation Peace Spring, in northeastern Syria, aiming to create a safe zone near the Syrian-Turkish border.
Sputnik

The Russian Defence Ministry said Friday that terrorists have intensified the attacks against the backdrop of Turkey's incursion into the northeastern part of Syria. In particular, one of the attacks injured two Syrian soldiers as terrorists have planted two explosive devices along the patrol route of the Russian military police.

"On 11 October, an improvised shell-free explosive device was set off on the patrol route of the Russian military police in the province of Deraa in southern Syria, about 700 meters west of the village of Anhul. None of the Russian military personnel were injured", Maj. Gen. Alexey Bakin, head of the Russian centre for Syrian reconciliation said at a daily news briefing.

The Russian centre for Syrian reconcilliation also stressed that "against the backdrop of Turkey's Operation Peace Spring in the northeast of Syria, illegal armed groups have intensified their activities in other regions of the Syrian Arab Republic".

The general added that 20 minutes after another bomb exploded when a unit of Syrian security officers arrived at the scene of the explosion. As a result, their car was damaged and two Syrian officers suffered light injuries.

Earlier on Friday, Erdogan stressed that 'Operation Peace Spring' would continue despite denouncement of the international community and threats from the United States.

Meanwhile, Ankara reported earlier that at least two Turkish military officers were killed during the ongoing offensive.

According to recent statements by the Kurdish Democratic Progressive Party of Syria, dozens of civilians have been killed, hundreds injured and thousands displaced since the start of the Turkish military operation.

According to the Turkish Defence Ministry, the number of neutralized members of the PKK-YPG has reached 277.

The Syrian government has condemned the Turkish offensive in northern Syria as an act of aggression.

From the Syrian side of the border, the territory is controlled by Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The 'Operation Peace Spring' targets the predominantly-Kurdish Syrian SDF and the Daesh terrorist group. Turkey views the SDF in Syria as an extension of the PKK, which has been classified by Ankara as a terrorist organization.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said earlier that 'Operation Peace Spring' was launched "in accordance in accordance with international law, Article 51 of the UN Charter and UN Security Council Resolutions on fight against terrorism".

*Daesh (ISIS, ISIL, IS, Islamic State) is a terrorist group banned in Russia and many other countries.

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