This archive report was first published on 10 October 2019.
October 10, 2019, marked the second day of Turkey's military operation in northern Syria, with reports of escalating violence and a rising death toll.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a conflict monitor based in Britain, at least 16 Kurdish fighters were killed in the Tel Abyad and Ras al-Ain areas of northeastern Syria. Six attackers of unknown identity were also reported dead.
Members of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces were among those killed, with 33 wounded in the fighting. The Turkish military's move into Syria began on Wednesday, following President Trump's decision to pull American troops out of Turkey's way.
President Trump had previously condemned Turkey's operation as a 'bad idea' and warned of economic punishment if Turkey crossed any 'red lines.' However, the killing of Kurdish fighters has raised concerns that Turkey may be pushing the boundaries of what is acceptable.
Henrietta Fore, the executive director of Unicef, urged all parties to protect children and civilians in accordance with international human rights and humanitarian law. She warned that the military escalation would have 'dramatic consequences' on the ability to provide aid to hundreds of thousands of people cut off from Syrian assistance for years.
