HASAKAH, Syria — Syrian Kurds have been concerned for some time that Turkey's plans include much more than acquiring oil fields in their region. According to some observers, Ankara's strategic goal is to completely eliminate the autonomously administered area of northeast Syria, known as Rojava or Syrian Kurdistan.

Amed Sido — a liaison between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the international coalition against the Islamic State (IS) — believes this is true. Sido recently told Al-Monitor that Ankara plans to take over more areas that SDF liberated from IS. “This is evidenced by Turkey’s continuous bombardment of the countryside of Tell Abyad, Manbij, Ain Issa, Tell Tamr, and other areas," Sido said.

The SDF-affiliated Tell Tamr Military Council on March 24 circumvented artillery shelling by the Turkish army and Syrian opposition armed factions targeting the villages of al-Arisha, Umm al-Keif and Aneek al-Hawa in the Tell Tamr countryside, a predominantly Christian area. No casualties were reported. Also, military sources reported to local media outlets that a civilian and a Syrian government soldier were injured during heavy shelling carried out March 15-16 by Syrian opposition forces on villages in the countrysides of Tell Tamr and Tell Abyad, north of Raqqa. No casualties were reported.

Violent clashes also broke out March 23 near Tell Abyad between the SDF and Syrian opposition factions. This followed attacks the factions launched on SDF military bases that killed 15 fighters and a prominent leader from the opposition. According to the same military sources, the Turkish army and opposition fighters also shelled the villages of Ain Issa and Tell Abyad as well as the M4 highway.