Kurdish and Turkish-Backed Forces Exchange Shelling Near Afrin

Turkish-backed forces shelled several areas near Afrin on January 17, according to Kurdish sources, as Turkish-Kurdish tension rises in north Syria.Turkish-backed forces in Azaz city shelled Shira and Shiraro towns in Afrin countryside, the same source said.The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported a heavy Turkish presence spotted at the Syrian-Turkish borders near Afrin.Tension at the Syrian-Turkish border increased after Turkey said it was readying for an assault against Kurdish forces in northern Syria. Those same Kurdish militias are backed by US forces, but Turkey considers them extensions of domestic Kurdish rebel groups it deems terrorist organizations.This video was shared by the press office of the YPG, the Kurdish militia, and is described as showing Kurdish forces responding to Turkish strikes near Afrin. Credit: YPG Press Office via Storyful