Turkish military forces entered Syria on 24 August to take control of the border town of Jarabulus before it could be secured by Syrian Kurdish forces that are supported by the US-led coalition.
The Turkish government said it launched Operation 'Euphrates Shield' to support Free Syrian Army rebels fighting both the Islamic State and the Democratic Union Party (PYD), a Kurdish group with close ties to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) that is waging an insurgency against Turkey.
The PYD's armed wing also dominates the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an anti-Islamic State alliance that is backed by the US-led coalition.
Ankara has previously said it would not tolerate Syrian Kurdish forces advancing west of the Euphrates, but did not respond when the SDF crossed the river at the Tishrin Dam in December 2015. The SDF subsequently encircled the Islamic State-held town of Manbij, 30 km south of Jarabulus, and announced on 20 August that it had secured it.
A still from a video released by the Turkish-backed Syrian rebel group Firqat al-Hamzah shows fighters marching past a Turkish Otokar Cobra armoured vehicle during the operation to capture Jarabulus on 24 August. (Firqat al-Hamzah)
The SDF subsequently confirmed its ambition to take control of Jarabulus when it announced it had formed a military council to run the town. One of the commanders of the organisation was soon killed by sniper fire in what the SDF claimed was an assassination by Turkish intelligence.
Turkey launched what appeared to be a long-planned military operation on 24 August, when M60 tanks and ACV-15 armoured personnel carriers were seen advancing into Syria, while 155 mm Firtina self-propelled howitzers were deployed close to the border to provide fire support.
Syrian rebel groups Firqat al-Hamzah, Faylaq al-Sham, Harakat Nur-al-Din al-Zinki, and Sultan Murat Tümeni all confirmed they were working with the Turkish military.
The Islamic State fighters in Jarabulus put up little resistance but there were reports of heavier fighting between the Turkish-backed rebels and Kurdish fighters further to the south.
Want to read more? For analysis on this article and access to all our insight content, please enquire about our subscription options ihs.com/contact
