YPG/PKK terrorists kill 4 Syrian National Army soldiers

RAS AL-AYN, Syria

At least four Syrian National Army (SNA) soldiers were martyred in a YPG/PKK terror group attack in northern Syria, Anadolu Agency correspondents on the ground reported on Tuesday.

The terrorists attacked the SNA soldiers in rural areas around the village of Ayn Isa in the northern Raqqah province, falling inside the area of Operation Peace Spring, Turkey's anti-terror offensive launched last October.

The Turkish Armed Forces responded to the attack on its local allies with artillery fire.

The YPG/PKK terror group is targeting settlement areas under control of the SNA, formerly known as the Free Syrian Army, which fought alongside Turkish forces in Turkish-led anti-terror operations in northern Syria.

Since 2016, Turkey has launched a trio of successful anti-terrorist operations across its border into northern Syria to prevent the formation of a terror corridor: Operations Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018), and Peace Spring (October 2019).

Since then, Turkey reached agreements with both the U.S. and Russia to force the terrorist YPG/PKK to withdraw from the planned terror-free zone.

However, the YPG/PKK terrorists continue attacks in the Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ayn districts, despite the deals with Moscow and Washington.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of nearly 40,000 people, including women, children and infants. The YPG is the PKK's Syrian offshoot.

* Writing by Gozde Bayar