Turkey Likely to Launch New Military Operation in Northern Syria This Week, Reports Say

ANKARA (Sputnik) - The Turkish armed forces are expected to launch a fifth counterterrorist operation in the northern Syrian areas near the cities of Tall Rifat and Manbij this week, Turkish newspaper Hurriyet reported on Wednesday, citing its correspondent reporting from the ground.

Since 2016, Turkey has carried out four "counterterrorist" operations in Syria. In May, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said that a new operation would be launched soon. According to media reports, the operation was planned to take place in four northern Syrian areas, namely near Tall Rifat, Kobani, Ain Issa and Manbij.

Turkish troops are already stationed in rural areas near Tall Rifat and Manbij and only waiting for a go-ahead from Ankara, the Hurriyet correspondent reported. There have already been some precision strikes against facilities of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, designated terrorist by Ankara, in Tall Rifat and Manbij, according to the report.

A Turkish soldier walks past Kemal Ataturk graffiti on a wall at the Syrian border

© AP Photo / Lefteris Pitarakis

The newspaper said that Turkey decided not to send troops to Kobani and Ain Issa due to opposition from Russia, which has recently sent new reinforcements to the region.

The area of Turkey's operation is pierced by the strategic highway of M4, which connects the cities of Al Hasakah, Raqqah and Deir ez-Zor in the east and Aleppo in the north.