Turkish Army Targets in Syrian Tal Rifaat After Hospital Attack

The Anadolu Agency reported on Sunday that the Turkish army bombed targets in the town of Tal Rifaat in northern Syria in response to artillery attacks that resulted in the deaths of 14 people and injuries to others in the nearby town of Afrin. Ankara accused the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) of carrying out the attacks, which occurred on Saturday and included an assault on a hospital. The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), operating under the leadership of the YPG, denied responsibility for the attacks. Anadolu Agency stated that the Turkish armed forces, which have a significant presence in northern Syria, struck "terrorist targets" in the town. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated in an earlier press conference, "We will hold these cowards accountable for every drop of blood they spill." Turkey considers the YPG a terrorist organization linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which is banned in Turkey. It has carried out incursions into Syria to support the armed Syrian opposition and keep it away from the Turkish border.