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YPG, Turkish forces exchange fire on Syrian border

The diplomatic fallout from Turkey’s deadly airstrikes against Kurdish militants is growing as Turkey reacts angrily to US rebukes.
A picture taken on April 7, 2017 at sunset shows a view of Hatay (aka Antakya) in southern Turkey. / AFP PHOTO / OZAN KOSE        (Photo credit should read OZAN KOSE/AFP/Getty Images)

Turkey has vowed to continue attacks against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and its Syrian Kurdish franchise, the People’s Protection Units (YPG) as the YPG and Turkish forces exchanged fire today in the border region of Hatay. Turkish officials said two Turkish security posts were attacked and that Turkish forces had responded.

The YPG blamed Turkey for the clash, saying it was responding to Turkish artillery attacks against the mainly Kurdish enclave of Afrin. The Syrian Kurdish Hawar news agency reported that Turkish forces were firing from across the border at the village of Firfirke in Afrin’s Raco township and that YPG forces were shooting back.

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