Turkey gives artillery support to ISIS in bid to halt Army’s advance in northern Syria

On Monday, the Turkish Armed Forces and aligned Free Syrian Army (FSA) proxy factions shelled the Kurdish Forces  as the latter attempted to seize an ISIS-held area in the northern Aleppo countryside.

FSA units and Turkish tanks stationed at the village of Ablah opened fire upon SDF fighters who were observed closing in on the neighbouring ISIS-held village of Tall al-Jijan, effectively causing Kurdish fighters to call off their attacks.

According to one FSA official involved in operation ‘Euphrates Wrath’, the artillery bombardment killed 10 Kurdish fighters.

The FSA, SDF and ISIS have all battled one another in recent months as the Islamic State has gradually conceded chunks of northern Aleppo territories to Syrian rebels and Syrian Kurds who have both vowed to liberate the Islamic State stronghold of al-Bab.

Yesterday, a rebel offensive had the FSA advance to within two kilometers north of Al-Bab; both the Turkish Air Force and United States Air Forces conducted supportive airstrikes.

Turkey and its FSA allies hope to stop Kurdish advances inroads to al-Bab. Currently, SDF fighters are held up 16 kilometers west of the Islamic State stronghold.