Ankara says three killed in YPG/PKK school attack in N Syria

ANKARA

The YPG/PKK terrorists have bombed a school in northern Syria, killing three civilians and injuring eight others including children, the Turkish defense ministry said on Nov. 19.

"The PKK/YPG who continued their harassments and attacks, and conducted bombings in the Operation Peace Spring area, have now targeted a school in Tel Abyad's Curn village," the ministry said in a tweet.

Turkey on Oct. 9 launched Operation Peace Spring to eliminate terrorists from northern Syria, east of the Euphrates River in order to secure Turkey's borders, aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees, and ensure Syria's territorial integrity.

Ankara has reached two separate deals with the U.S. and Russia to pause the operation in order to allow YPG/PKK terrorists to withdraw from a planned safe zone, where Turkey wants to repatriate the refugees.

While Moscow has said the YPG have withdrawn to at least 30 km (18 miles) from the border, Ankara has been skeptical and held out the possibility of new attacks if members of what it sees as a terrorist group remain.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu was quoted on Nov. 18 as saying Ankara would launch a new operation if the area was not cleared of YPG terrorists.