Two people, including baby, killed in Turkish border town as tens of thousands flee heavy fighting in northern Syria

A Turkish civil servant and a nine-month-old Syrian baby have been killed after mortars were fired from Kurdish-held northern Syria into the Turkish border town of Akcakale.

It comes as Turkey’s president claimed 109 “terrorists have been killed” as their incursion into northern Syria continued for a second day.

But Recep Tayyip Erdogan has not elaborated and reports on the ground indicate the number of casualties of Syrian Kurdish fighters may not be as high as what he has suggested.

Forty-six people were wounded in the rocket and mortar attacks in Akcakale.

It follows earlier reports that tens of thousands of people have fled their homes and heavy fighting in the central border region, which has resulted in at least seven civilian deaths.

The assault on Kurdish-led forces, key US allies, follows US president Donald Trump's decision to withdraw US troops.

Turkey-Syria Conflict - In pictures

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Turkey says it wants to create a "safe zone" on the border for many of the Syrian refugees on its territory.

But on Thursday Mr Erdogan threatened to send the refugees to Europe if the EU characterised Ankara’s incursion into Syria an “invasion”.

"They are not honest, they just make up words," the president said, singling out Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

"We, however, take action and that is the difference between us," he told officials from his ruling AK Party in Ankara.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has claimed there have been 109 'terrorists killed' in the conflict 
AFP via Getty Images

On Thursday, the front stretched from Kobani in the west to beyond Derik, close to the Iraqi border in the east.

The heaviest fighting was reported around the town of Tal Abyad, where the main ground attack, involving battle tanks and heavy howitzers, was under way.

Mr Erdogan spoke to ruling party officials on Thursday, saying Turkey seeks to prevent the creation of a "terror state" along its border with Syria.

An official from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces said: “Fierce clashes are continuing in the villages that [Turkish forces] are trying to enter."

A Turkish soldier stands at the border with Syria in Akcakale, Sanliurfa province, southeastern Turkey.
AP

Kurdish fighters said their forces counter-attacked last night, halting part of the Turkish advance.

At least seven civilians were said to have been killed there, with three soldiers “martyred”.

Turkey’s military said it had carried out more than 180 strikes in the first 24 hours of Operation Peace Spring, hitting a compound holding Islamic State prisoners, according to a report.

World powers fear Turkey's action could further destabilise the region, and runs the risk of Islamic State prisoners escaping from camps amid the chaos.

The Kurdish-led authority in northern Syria said a prison struck by Turkish shelling holds "the most dangerous criminals from more than 60 nationalities" and Turkey's attacks on its prisons risked "a catastrophe".

The full scale of the operation and number of casualties from Thursday's attack was unclear.

After about six hours of air strikes, Turkish troops and Syrian rebel allies yesterday crossed the border, opening a ground offensive.

About 50 US special forces have pulled back from the area, which paved the way for Turkey’s assault on Syrian Kurdish forces.

It regards them as terrorists linked to Kurdish insurgents, against whom Ankara has waged a 30-year battle within its own borders.

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