Turkish soldier killed in YPG attack

ANKARA

A Turkish soldier was killed and another wounded in an attack by the YPG, the Syrian arm of the outlawed PKK on Oct. 20 despite the safe zone deal, the Turkish Defence Ministry said.

"One of our heroic comrades fell martyr and another was wounded after anti-tank and small arms fire by PKK / YPG terrorists during their reconnaissance and surveillance mission" in the Tal Abyad border area, the ministry said in a statement published on Twitter.

The ministry wished God’s mercy on the killed soldier and offered condolences to his family, Turkish Armed Forces and Turkish nation.

Security forces retaliated against the terrorist attack within the exercise of their right to self-defense, the ministry said in a statement.

On Oct. 9, Turkey had launched Operation Peace Spring to eliminate terrorists from northern Syria in order to secure Turkey’s borders, aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees and ensure Syria’s territorial integrity.

On Oct. 17, Turkey agreed to pause its Operation Peace Spring for 120 hours to allow the withdrawal of terrorist YPG/PKK forces from the planned safe zone.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and U.S. Vice President Mike Pence also agreed on Turkey having 20 miles (32 kilometers) of safe zone south of the Turkish border in Syria.

Ankara wants to clear northern Syria east of the Euphrates River of the terrorist PKK and its Syrian offshoot, the YPG/PKK.