A car bomb killed 19 people, 13 of them civilians, in the Turkish-controlled town of Al-Bab in northern Syria on Saturday, a war monitor said.

The bomb, which struck a bus and taxi station in the town, also wounded 33 people, some of them seriously, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.

Turkey and its Syrian proxies control several pockets of territory on the Syrian side of the border as a result of successive incursions in 2016-17, 2018 and 2019.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the bombing but the Observatory said there had been persistent security incidents in the town since its capture by Turkish troops from the Islamic State group in February 2017.

The town, some 30 kilometres (20 miles) northeast of Syria's second city Aleppo, was one of the westernmost strongholds of the jihadists' self-styled "caliphate" which was finally eradicated by US-backed Kurdish forces in eastern Syria in March.

Turkey blamed the car bombing on the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) against whom it launched a new invasion further east last month.

Kurdish fighters "continue to target innocent civilians using the same methods as Daesh," the defence ministry said on its official Twitter account using another acronym for IS.

There was no immediate reaction from the YPG, seen by Ankara as a "terrorist offshoot" of the Kurdistan Workers Party which has fought an insurgency inside Turkey for the past 35 years.

The latest Turkish invasion, which was aimed at creating a buffer zone the whole length of the border, sparked an outcry in the West because of the key role the YPG played in the US-led campaign against IS.

It paused after Turkey struck a truce deal with Russia, the main supporter of the Syrian government, to jointly patrol the border area and oversee the withdrawal of Kurdish fighters from a new Turkish-controlled pocket between the towns of Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ain.

A car bomb killed 19 people, 13 of them civilians, in the Turkish-controlled town of Al-Bab in northern Syria on Saturday, a war monitor said. The bomb, which struck a bus and taxi station in the town, also wounded 33 people, some of them seriously, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.

A car bomb killed 19 people, 13 of them civilians, in the Turkish-controlled town of Al-Bab in northern Syria on Saturday, a war monitor said. The bomb, which struck a bus and taxi station in the town, also wounded 33 people, some of them seriously, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported. Turkey and its Syrian proxies control several pockets of territory on the Syrian side of the border as a result of successive incursions in 2016-17, 2018 and 2019. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the bombing but the Observatory said there had been persistent security incidents in the town since its capture by Turkish troops from the Islamic State group in February 2017. The town, some 30 kilometres (20 miles) northeast of Syria's second city Aleppo, was one of the westernmost strongholds of the jihadists' self-styled "caliphate" which was finally eradicated by US-backed Kurdish forces in eastern Syria in March. Turkey blamed the car bombing on the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) against whom it launched a new invasion further east last month. Kurdish fighters "continue to target innocent civilians using the same methods as Daesh," the defence ministry said on its official Twitter account using another acronym for IS. There was no immediate reaction from the YPG, seen by Ankara as a "terrorist offshoot" of the Kurdistan Workers Party which has fought an insurgency inside Turkey for the past 35 years. The latest Turkish invasion, which was aimed at creating a buffer zone the whole length of the border, sparked an outcry in the West because of the key role the YPG played in the US-led campaign against IS. It paused after Turkey struck a truce deal with Russia, the main supporter of the Syrian government, to jointly patrol the border area and oversee the withdrawal of Kurdish fighters from a new Turkish-controlled pocket between the towns of Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ain.

Car bomb kills 19 in northern Syria: Monitor

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed Turkey would not allow the US to delay the establishment of a<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israeli-strikes-hit-pro-syria-palestinian-group-in-lebanon-245680"> 'safe zone' in northern Syria</a>, in comments published on Thursday.

Ankara and Washington earlier this month agreed after difficult talks to set up a buffer zone between the Turkish border and Syrian areas controlled by the US-backed Kurdish YPG militia.

The NATO allies agreed to set up a joint operations centre which Turkey said at the weekend was at full capacity.

"We will never allow a delay similar to that in Manbij. The process should advance swiftly," Erdogan said, according to CNN Turk broadcaster.

Turkey and the United States in May last year had agreed on a road map including the withdrawal of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) from Manbij in northern Syria.

"The agreement made with the US towards clearing the east of the Euphrates (river) from the YPG and setting up a safe zone is the right step," Erdogan said after returning from talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

He said the YPG was "pulling a trick in Manbij" and had not withdrawn. Turkey has repeatedly accused the US of delaying the previous deal.

Ankara says the YPG is a "terrorist" offshoot of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has been waging an insurgency inside Turkey since 1984.

The PKK is blacklisted as a terror group by Ankara, the US and the European Union.

But the US worked closely with the YPG in the fight against the Islamic State (IS) extremist group.

Turkey-US relations have been particularly tense over American support to the YPG but other issues remain, including the failure to extradite a Pennsylvania-based Muslim preacher blamed for the 2016 failed coup in Turkey.

But Erdogan said joint US-Turkey patrols would "start soon" as part of the latest agreement for northern Syria.

He said Turkish forces and armoured vehicles were already at the border, adding: "We are in a position where we can do anything at any moment."

Turkey repeatedly threatened to launch a third cross-border offensive in Syria against the YPG until the US-Turkey agreement.

Previous offensives by the Turkish military supporting Syrian rebels took place against IS in 2016 and against the YPG in early 2018.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed Turkey would not allow the US to delay the establishment of a 'safe zone' in northern Syria, in comments published on Thursday.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed Turkey would not allow the US to delay the establishment of a 'safe zone' in northern Syria, in comments published on Thursday. Ankara and Washington earlier this month agreed after difficult talks to set up a buffer zone between the Turkish border and Syrian areas controlled by the US-backed Kurdish YPG militia. The NATO allies agreed to set up a joint operations centre which Turkey said at the weekend was at full capacity. "We will never allow a delay similar to that in Manbij. The process should advance swiftly," Erdogan said, according to CNN Turk broadcaster. Turkey and the United States in May last year had agreed on a road map including the withdrawal of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) from Manbij in northern Syria. "The agreement made with the US towards clearing the east of the Euphrates (river) from the YPG and setting up a safe zone is the right step," Erdogan said after returning from talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He said the YPG was "pulling a trick in Manbij" and had not withdrawn. Turkey has repeatedly accused the US of delaying the previous deal. Ankara says the YPG is a "terrorist" offshoot of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has been waging an insurgency inside Turkey since 1984. The PKK is blacklisted as a terror group by Ankara, the US and the European Union. But the US worked closely with the YPG in the fight against the Islamic State (IS) extremist group. Turkey-US relations have been particularly tense over American support to the YPG but other issues remain, including the failure to extradite a Pennsylvania-based Muslim preacher blamed for the 2016 failed coup in Turkey. But Erdogan said joint US-Turkey patrols would "start soon" as part of the latest agreement for northern Syria. He said Turkish forces and armoured vehicles were already at the border, adding: "We are in a position where we can do anything at any moment." Turkey repeatedly threatened to launch a third cross-border offensive in Syria against the YPG until the US-Turkey agreement. Previous offensives by the Turkish military supporting Syrian rebels took place against IS in 2016 and against the YPG in early 2018.

Won't allow US to delay establishment of 'safe zone' in northern Syria: Erdogan

Washington's top diplomat said Saturday he was "optimistic" a way could be found to protect Syrian Kurds while allowing Turks to "defend their country from terrorists" following a US pullout from Syria.

"We are confident we can achieve an outcome that achieves both of those," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told journalists in Abu Dhabi.

The Gulf emirate is his latest stop in a regional tour aimed at reassuring allies after a shock December announcement by President Donald Trump that US troops would be withdrawn from Syria.

Pompeo's remarks follow tensions between the US and Turkey over the fate of Washington's Syrian Kurdish allies in the fight against Islamic State group jihadists.

Turkey had reacted angrily to suggestions that Trump's plan to withdraw troops was conditional on the safety of the US-backed Kurdish fighters, seen by the Turkish government as terrorists.

US-led operations against IS in Syria have been spearheaded on the ground by the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces.

Ankara sees the backbone of that alliance, the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), as a terrorist group linked to the Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK) which has fought a decades-long insurgency against the Turkish state.

Pompeo said that Washington recognised "the Turkish people's right and (Turkish President Recep Tayyip) Erdogan's right to defend their country from terrorists".&nbsp;

But, he added, "we also know that those fighting alongside of us for all this time deserve to be protected as well".

Pompeo said he had spoken to Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.

"Many details (are) still to be worked out but I'm optimistic that we can achieve a good outcome," he said.

Threatened assault

Multiple operations including American-backed assaults have ousted IS jihadists from most of the swathes of Syria and Iraq they captured in 2014.

But Trump's announcement raised fears of a long-threatened Turkish assault against the Kurds.

On Thursday, Cavusoglu repeated that threat, telling NTV television: "if the (pullout) is put off with ridiculous excuses like Turks are massacring Kurds, which do not reflect the reality, we will implement this decision."

That came after a tense meeting between Turkish officials and Trump's national security adviser John Bolton in Ankara, aimed at coordinating the pullout process after Bolton set conditions that appeared to postpone it indefinitely.&nbsp;

The terms included the total defeat of IS -- still active in some parts of Syria -- and ensuring protection for Kurdish fighters.&nbsp;

The US-led coalition launched operations against IS in September 2014, forming the SDF a year later with some 25,000 Kurdish fighters and 5,000 Arabs -- all Syrian.

Backed by US arms and air support, the YPG-dominated group has overrun the de facto Syrian capital of IS, Raqa, and a large part of Deir Ezzor province.

But that stirred Turkish fears of a breakaway Kurdish state on its border.

As well as fighting IS, the YPG has also battled pro-Ankara forces in northwestern Syria, pulling SDF forces away from the battle against jihadists in the east of the country.

Trump's announcement last month prompted the YPG to call on Syrian government troops to deploy alongside their own forces in the north to help counter a potential Turkish offensive.&nbsp;

A spokesman for the US military said Friday it had begun "the process of our deliberate withdrawal from Syria".

But US defence officials quickly sought to clarify that while gear was being pulled out, "we are not withdrawing troops at this stage".

Syria's devastating conflict began in 2011 with anti-government demonstrations that were brutally crushed, sparking a complex war involving multiple foreign militias and jihadist groups, as well as regional and international powers including the US.

The withdrawal announcement had also sparked concerns among Arab states and Israel that it could open the way to growing Iranian influence.

Pompeo has pledged to "expel every last Iranian boot" from Syria, and on Saturday sought to downplay the impact of the US pullout on this goal.

"The fact that a couple of thousands of uniformed personnel in Syria will be withdrawing is a tactical change," he said.

"It doesn't materially alter our capacity to continue to perform the military actions that we need to perform."

The US is looking to create an anti-Iran front -- the Middle East Strategic Alliance -- bringing together Gulf countries as well as Egypt and Jordan.

Washington is set to convene an international summit in Poland next month focusing on stability in the Middle East, including Iran's influence.

Washington's top diplomat said Saturday he was "optimistic" a way could be found to protect Syrian Kurds while allowing Turks to "defend their country from terrorists" following a US pullout from Syria.

Washington's top diplomat said Saturday he was "optimistic" a way could be found to protect Syrian Kurds while allowing Turks to "defend their country from terrorists" following a US pullout from Syria. "We are confident we can achieve an outcome that achieves both of those," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told journalists in Abu Dhabi. The Gulf emirate is his latest stop in a regional tour aimed at reassuring allies after a shock December announcement by President Donald Trump that US troops would be withdrawn from Syria. Pompeo's remarks follow tensions between the US and Turkey over the fate of Washington's Syrian Kurdish allies in the fight against Islamic State group jihadists. Turkey had reacted angrily to suggestions that Trump's plan to withdraw troops was conditional on the safety of the US-backed Kurdish fighters, seen by the Turkish government as terrorists. US-led operations against IS in Syria have been spearheaded on the ground by the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces. Ankara sees the backbone of that alliance, the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), as a terrorist group linked to the Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK) which has fought a decades-long insurgency against the Turkish state. Pompeo said that Washington recognised "the Turkish people's right and (Turkish President Recep Tayyip) Erdogan's right to defend their country from terrorists". But, he added, "we also know that those fighting alongside of us for all this time deserve to be protected as well". Pompeo said he had spoken to Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. "Many details (are) still to be worked out but I'm optimistic that we can achieve a good outcome," he said. Threatened assault Multiple operations including American-backed assaults have ousted IS jihadists from most of the swathes of Syria and Iraq they captured in 2014. But Trump's announcement raised fears of a long-threatened Turkish assault against the Kurds. On Thursday, Cavusoglu repeated that threat, telling NTV television: "if the (pullout) is put off with ridiculous excuses like Turks are massacring Kurds, which do not reflect the reality, we will implement this decision." That came after a tense meeting between Turkish officials and Trump's national security adviser John Bolton in Ankara, aimed at coordinating the pullout process after Bolton set conditions that appeared to postpone it indefinitely. The terms included the total defeat of IS -- still active in some parts of Syria -- and ensuring protection for Kurdish fighters. The US-led coalition launched operations against IS in September 2014, forming the SDF a year later with some 25,000 Kurdish fighters and 5,000 Arabs -- all Syrian. Backed by US arms and air support, the YPG-dominated group has overrun the de facto Syrian capital of IS, Raqa, and a large part of Deir Ezzor province. But that stirred Turkish fears of a breakaway Kurdish state on its border. As well as fighting IS, the YPG has also battled pro-Ankara forces in northwestern Syria, pulling SDF forces away from the battle against jihadists in the east of the country. Trump's announcement last month prompted the YPG to call on Syrian government troops to deploy alongside their own forces in the north to help counter a potential Turkish offensive. A spokesman for the US military said Friday it had begun "the process of our deliberate withdrawal from Syria". But US defence officials quickly sought to clarify that while gear was being pulled out, "we are not withdrawing troops at this stage". Syria's devastating conflict began in 2011 with anti-government demonstrations that were brutally crushed, sparking a complex war involving multiple foreign militias and jihadist groups, as well as regional and international powers including the US. The withdrawal announcement had also sparked concerns among Arab states and Israel that it could open the way to growing Iranian influence. Pompeo has pledged to "expel every last Iranian boot" from Syria, and on Saturday sought to downplay the impact of the US pullout on this goal. "The fact that a couple of thousands of uniformed personnel in Syria will be withdrawing is a tactical change," he said. "It doesn't materially alter our capacity to continue to perform the military actions that we need to perform." The US is looking to create an anti-Iran front -- the Middle East Strategic Alliance -- bringing together Gulf countries as well as Egypt and Jordan. Washington is set to convene an international summit in Poland next month focusing on stability in the Middle East, including Iran's influence.

Pompeo 'optimistic' Syria Kurds, Turkey can be protected

Turkey warned Monday it would carry out more strikes on a US-backed Kurdish militia in Syria if it fails to retreat, as Washington said President Barack Obama will meet his Turkish counterpart over the weekend. 
 
Turkish forces pressed on with a two-pronged operation inside Syria against Islamic State (IS) jihadists and the Syrian Kurdish People&#39;s Protection Units (YPG), shelling over a dozen targets. 
 
The strikes against the YPG are hugely sensitive as the outfit -- seen as a terror group by Ankara -- is allied with Turkey&#39;s NATO partner the United States in the fight against IS in Syria. 
 
Ankara has said it killed 25 Kurdish &quot;terrorists&quot; in strikes on YPG positions on Sunday -- meaning the two US-backed partner forces are now fighting each other. 
 
Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said the clashes were &quot;unacceptable and a source of deep concern.&quot; 
 
He called for steps to de-escalate the situation and said Washington had once again told the YPG to retreat east of the Euphrates. This has &quot;largely occurred,&quot; he added. 
 
US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter later said he had appealed to both sides not to fight. 
 
&quot;That&#39;s the basis of our cooperation with both of them -- specifically not to engage one another,&quot; Carter said. 
 
Two US defense officials told AFP that SDF forces had &quot;all&quot; withdrawn east of the Euphrates, but they said some Kurdish people remained to the west. 
 
Turkey&#39;s operation aims to push the YPG back across the Euphrates to prevent it joining up a region east of the river already under its control with a Kurdish-held area to the west.
<h2>&#39;Ethnic cleansing&#39;</h2>
Ankara fears the emergence of an autonomous Kurdish region in Syria would bolster Kurdish rebels across the border in southeastern Turkey. 
 
The situation in northern Syria is yet another complication in the country&#39;s already tangled civil war, and potentially throws a wrench in US plans to defeat the Islamic State group in the region. 
 
US Vice President Joe Biden said last week that Washington had ordered the YPG to retreat or risk losing American support. But Ankara says it had seen no evidence of this. 
 
President Obama will meet his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday in China on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit, with Syria high on the agenda, top aide Ben Rhodes announced Monday, stressing the need &quot;to stay united.&quot; 
 
It will be the first meeting between the two leaders since a failed coup attempt in Turkey on July 15. 
 
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu accused the Kurdish militia of &quot;ethnic cleansing&quot; in the mainly Arab area around the city of Manbij, west of the Euphrates, which the YPG wrested from IS earlier this month. 
 
Turkey considers the YPG an offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has waged a deadly insurgency on Turkish territory for over three decades. 
 
On Monday, the Turkish air force launched air strikes on PKK bases in northern Iraq, state media said.
<h2>&#39;Deep concern&#39;</h2>
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 40 civilians were killed in Turkish shelling and air strikes on pro-Kurdish positions in northern Syria on Sunday. 
 
Ankara strongly denies killing any civilians. 
 
The army said 10 more villages had &quot;been cleared of terrorist elements&quot; Monday by Turkish-backed anti-regime Syrian fighters. 
 
A 400-square-kilometre (154-square-mile) area has been cleared since the operation began on August 24, it added. 
 
President Erdogan said in a statement the offensive would continue until &quot;the threat of Daesh and YPG/PKK is over.&quot; Daesh is an acronym for IS. 
 
On Monday, at least five people were injured in the Turkish town of Kilis by rockets fired across the border from an IS-held area, NTV television reported. The army returned fire, the report said. 
 
Ankara-backed forces faced little resistance when they captured the IS border stronghold of Jarabulus last week, days after a suspected IS suicide bombing killed 55 people in southeast Turkey. 
 
But the standoff with the Kurdish militia has been intense, with a Turkish soldier killed on Saturday in a YPG rocket attack on his tank.
<h2> 
&#39;Turkey&#39;s crimes against humanity&#39;&nbsp;</h2>
The Turkish army said it had fired 61 times on targets in northern Syria in the previous 24 hours. It did not say which group was targeted. 
 
Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said all relevant parties had been forewarned of Turkey&#39;s operation in Syria, including the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, a bitter enemy of Ankara who had been informed by its ally Russia. 
 
Syria&#39;s official Sana agency said Damascus had written to the UN Security Council to protest Turkey&#39;s &quot;crimes against humanity&quot; in the country. 
 
(AFP)

Strikes against YPG are sensitive as the outfit is allied with Turkey's NATO partner, the United States, in its fight against IS in Syria

Turkey warned Monday it would carry out more strikes on a US-backed Kurdish militia in Syria if it fails to retreat, as Washington said President Barack Obama will meet his Turkish counterpart over the weekend. Turkish forces pressed on with a two-pronged operation inside Syria against Islamic State (IS) jihadists and the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), shelling over a dozen targets. The strikes against the YPG are hugely sensitive as the outfit -- seen as a terror group by Ankara -- is allied with Turkey's NATO partner the United States in the fight against IS in Syria. Ankara has said it killed 25 Kurdish "terrorists" in strikes on YPG positions on Sunday -- meaning the two US-backed partner forces are now fighting each other. Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said the clashes were "unacceptable and a source of deep concern." He called for steps to de-escalate the situation and said Washington had once again told the YPG to retreat east of the Euphrates. This has "largely occurred," he added. US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter later said he had appealed to both sides not to fight. "That's the basis of our cooperation with both of them -- specifically not to engage one another," Carter said. Two US defense officials told AFP that SDF forces had "all" withdrawn east of the Euphrates, but they said some Kurdish people remained to the west. Turkey's operation aims to push the YPG back across the Euphrates to prevent it joining up a region east of the river already under its control with a Kurdish-held area to the west. 'Ethnic cleansing' Ankara fears the emergence of an autonomous Kurdish region in Syria would bolster Kurdish rebels across the border in southeastern Turkey. The situation in northern Syria is yet another complication in the country's already tangled civil war, and potentially throws a wrench in US plans to defeat the Islamic State group in the region. US Vice President Joe Biden said last week that Washington had ordered the YPG to retreat or risk losing American support. But Ankara says it had seen no evidence of this. President Obama will meet his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday in China on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit, with Syria high on the agenda, top aide Ben Rhodes announced Monday, stressing the need "to stay united." It will be the first meeting between the two leaders since a failed coup attempt in Turkey on July 15. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu accused the Kurdish militia of "ethnic cleansing" in the mainly Arab area around the city of Manbij, west of the Euphrates, which the YPG wrested from IS earlier this month. Turkey considers the YPG an offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has waged a deadly insurgency on Turkish territory for over three decades. On Monday, the Turkish air force launched air strikes on PKK bases in northern Iraq, state media said. 'Deep concern' The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 40 civilians were killed in Turkish shelling and air strikes on pro-Kurdish positions in northern Syria on Sunday. Ankara strongly denies killing any civilians. The army said 10 more villages had "been cleared of terrorist elements" Monday by Turkish-backed anti-regime Syrian fighters. A 400-square-kilometre (154-square-mile) area has been cleared since the operation began on August 24, it added. President Erdogan said in a statement the offensive would continue until "the threat of Daesh and YPG/PKK is over." Daesh is an acronym for IS. On Monday, at least five people were injured in the Turkish town of Kilis by rockets fired across the border from an IS-held area, NTV television reported. The army returned fire, the report said. Ankara-backed forces faced little resistance when they captured the IS border stronghold of Jarabulus last week, days after a suspected IS suicide bombing killed 55 people in southeast Turkey. But the standoff with the Kurdish militia has been intense, with a Turkish soldier killed on Saturday in a YPG rocket attack on his tank. 'Turkey's crimes against humanity' The Turkish army said it had fired 61 times on targets in northern Syria in the previous 24 hours. It did not say which group was targeted. Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said all relevant parties had been forewarned of Turkey's operation in Syria, including the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, a bitter enemy of Ankara who had been informed by its ally Russia. Syria's official Sana agency said Damascus had written to the UN Security Council to protest Turkey's "crimes against humanity" in the country. (AFP)

Turkey warns Syrian Kurd militia of more strikes