People’s Defense Units (YPG) and an al-Qaeda-linked group engaged in a fierce fight near the Turkish border town of Ceylanpınar in the southeastern province of Şanlıurfa, according to Hurriyet Daily News.

The YPG, the militant wing of the Democratic Union Party (PYD) allegedly linked to Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), reportedly took control of the Ras al-Ayn-Ceylanpınar border gate amid other clashes between the YPG and the al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front that have been continuing since July 16.

Turkey, meanwhile, returned fire into Syrian territory after shots fired from the Syrian side during the PYD-al-Nusra battle struck Ceylanpınar.

Kurdish fighters “have taken near-total control of Ras al-Ayn after fierce battles that have raged since [July 16] evening, pitting [Kurds] against the al-Nusra Front, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria and other groups,” said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The clashes between Kurdish fighters and jihadists broke out after al-Nusra attacked a convoy of Kurdish women fighters, said observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman. Nine jihadists and two Kurdish fighters have been killed since battles erupted in the town on July 16, he said.

The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) said the parties to the clash were the “separatist terrorist organization” and “opponents.” There are also some reports claiming that the PYD is fighting the Free Syrian Army (FSA), the armed wing of the Syrian opposition.

Meanwhile, two people were killed by stray bullets fired from Syrian side in border town Ceylanpınar.



