The Afrin Liberation Forces (ALF) announced on May 10 that it had targeted positions and vehicles of the Turkish military and its proxies around the occupied area of Afrin over the last few days.
“Our forces continue to carry out military operations against the soldiers of the Turkish occupation army and its mercenaries in Afrin and its surroundings, killing and injuring more mercenaries,” the ALF’s statement reads.
The Kurdish group said that its fighters targeted an artillery position of the Turkish military in the district Sherawa with an anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) on May 9. The attack killed two Turkish service members and injured four others, according to the group’s claims.
Kurdish fighters also targeted a vehicle and a bulldozer of the Turkish-backed al-Shamiya Front and Hamza Division near Sherawa and the town of Azaz. Three militants were reportedly killed and three others were injured in the attacks, which occurred on May 7 and 9.
Last week, Turkish-backed groups launched a surprise attack on the town of Ma’arnaz, south of Afrin in order to put an end to the ALF’s attacks. The operation turned out to be a complete failure as Kurdish forces were able to recapture the town and kill over 40 militants, according to pro-Kurdish sources, within a few hours.
These new attacks will likely further escalate the tension around Afrin. Turkish-backed group may attempt to launch a new military operation south of the occupied area soon.
