Turkish troops and Turkey-backed Syrian opposition forces attacked a Kurdish enclave in northern Syria on Sunday in their bid to drive a U.S.-allied Kurdish militia from the region. SDF spokesperson Mustafa Bali denied that Turkish troops had entered Afrin, saying Kurdish forces had been repelling attacks since Saturday. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also countered Turkish claims, saying that while Kurdish militia and Turkish forces have clashed on the northern and western edges of Afrin, Turkish troops have failed to advance. Mehmet Tekinarslan said that suspected Syrian Kurdish fighters fired rockets from across the border early Sunday, slightly wounding one person. Turkish leaders were infuriated by an announcement by the U.S. military this week that it was going to create a 30,000-strong border force with the Kurdish fighters to secure northern Syria.

Source: CBC News January 21, 2018 10:32 UTC