3 SNA soldiers martyred in YPG/PKK suicide attack

TAL ABYAD/RAS AL-AYN, Syria

In a clear violation of the deal to pause hostilities in Syria, YPG/PKK terrorists on Tuesday martyred three soldiers of the Turkey-backed Syrian National Army (SNA).

Eighteen other SNA soldiers were injured despite the Turkey-U.S. deal on pausing Operation Peace Spring for 120 hours to allow terrorists to withdraw from the planned safe zone area. The pause ends Tuesday evening.

Ankara and the U.S. have agreed on a 20-miles (32-kilometers) safe zone south of the Turkish border in Syria, where Turkey wants to accommodate more than three million refugees it is currently hosting.

In Syria's Tal Abyad district, the terrorists rammed a bomb-laden vehicle into positions of SNA, causing casualties.

In a second attack, terrorists hurled a handmade explosive in Ras al-Ayn district of Syria, injuring at least eight soldiers.

So far, 84 SNA soldiers have been martyred and 310 wounded in the operation which started on Oct. 9.

YPG/PKK terrorists have carried out 42 attacks so far, while the Turkish Armed Forces fully abide by the agreement with the U.S., said Turkey's National Defense Ministry on Tuesday.

Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring to eliminate terrorists from northern Syria east of the Euphrates River in order to secure Turkey’s borders, aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees, and ensure Syria’s territorial integrity.

* Writing by Havva Kara Aydin