Turkish soldier killed in YPG attack in north Syria

ANKARA - Anadolu Agency

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A Turkish soldier has been killed and another three have been injured in a Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) rocket attack in northern Syria, a military official has said.

Specialized Sgt. Ercan Çelik was killed in the attack, marking the first casualty for Turkey since the launch of Operation Euphrates Shield to rid the border region of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) jihadist group on Aug. 24.

Three soldiers were also wounded in the attack.

The official said rockets were launched at two Turkish tanks operating 7 kilometers south of Jarablus, the northern Syrian city freed from ISIL during the operation.

The source said fighters from the YPG, the armed-wing of the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD), carried out the attack.

Turkish forces retaliated with artillery fire, the source added.

Euphrates Shield saw the Turkish military back the Free Syrian Army (FSA) with artillery, tanks, air power and Special Forces in taking Jarablus, which lies to the west of the Euphrates River and around a kilometer to the south of the Turkish border. Aircraft from the anti-ISIL coalition also backed the operation.