Turkey starts ground operation in northern Syria

Photo released by Turkish Defense Ministry shows Turkish army launches a military operation into northern Syria on the Turkey-Syria border, on Oct. 9, 2019. Turkish Armed Forces on late Wednesday began a land operation into northern Syria against the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG). (Xinhua)

ANKARA, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- Turkish Armed Forces on late Wednesday began a land operation into northern Syria against the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG).

"The Turkish Armed Forces and the Syrian National Army have launched the land operation into the east of the Euphrates river as part of the Operation Peace Spring," the Turkish Defense Ministry said on its Twitter account.

Turkish soldiers entered Syrian border towns Ras al-Ain and Tal Abyad through four different paths after hours of heavy airstrikes and howitzer shelling, military sources told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

Turkish jets destroyed the targets of YPG/PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party) 30 km deep in east of the Euphrates River in northern Syria as part of the operation, Anadolu Agency reported.