Don't Shoot: Russian TV Crew Videotapes Turkish Tanks on Syrian Border

A Russian television crew filmed Turkish tanks and fortifications on the Syrian border, allegedly positioned there in a bid to attack Kurds in Syria despite a ceasefire in the country.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Ankara’s self-propelled guns are present at the scene, with shells and other munitions being delivered to Turkey’s position, Russia's REN TV channel reported Sunday citing its crew. At least six tanks are present at the border, the channel reported.

According to the channel, the barrels of the tanks and self-propelled guns are pointed in the direction of the mainly Kurdish city of Kobane in Syria.

In recent weeks, Turkey has been shelling towns in northern Syria. Ankara has claimed the Syrian Kurds have links to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which is fighting for Kurdish independence from Turkey and is considered a terrorist organization by Ankara.

Russia and the United States reached an agreement on the ceasefire in Syria on February 22. The ceasefire took effect at midnight on Saturday Damascus time (22:00 GMT on Friday). The cessation of hostilities does not apply to designated terrorist organizations operating in Syria, such as the Daesh and the Nusra Front, both outlawed in Russia and the United States.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has criticized the ceasefire deal, arguing Syria's Kurdish Democratic Union (PYD) and the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) should also be excluded from the ceasefire process. Ankara considers the PYD and YPG to be terrorist organizations.