Turkey launches cross-border attacks on Syria

Turkey’s military on Friday began a cross-border shelling operation on Syria’s Kurdish-controlled Afrin region, a move that could spark fighting between the two countries. Turkey had expressed frustration and threatened military action over U.S. plans to support the Kurdish-led force in securing the border between Turkey and Syria. Turkey considers the Kurdish militia a terror group affiliated with other Kurdish rebels who have staged attacks in Turkey. “The operation has actually started de facto with cross-border shelling, except there is no border crossing,” Turkish Defense Minister Nurettin Canikli told Turkish broadcaster A Haber. “All terror networks and elements in northern Syria will be eliminated.” On Thursday, the Syrian government warned Turkey it will consider any military operation in Afrin “an act of aggression by the Turkish army.”