Northern Syria: First battles between Turkish and Syrian fighters - dozens of deaths reported

In fighting with the Turkish army and their local allies, at least 13 Syrian government soldiers have been killed in northern Syria. Also ten fighters of the pro-Turkish rebels were killed, said the Syrian observatory for human rights. The UK-based group relies on a network of informants in Syria.

The Turkish artillery had shelled the government soldiers, it was said. The human rights observers had previously reported that it was the first battles between the two sides.

Turkey and allied Syrian rebels had launched an offensive against the Kurdish militia YPG earlier this month, which had previously controlled the territory on the border with Turkey. Syrian government troops moved to the region after an agreement with the YPG to support the Kurds. After eight days, Turkey agreed to a ceasefire in negotiations with the US to allow the withdrawal of YPG fighters. Later, Ankara agreed with Russia to extend the cease-fire, which expired on Tuesday evening at 18:00 local time (16:00 CET).

The governments of Ankara and Damascus are enemies of each other. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called Syria's ruler Bashar al-Assad a "murderer" in the past. Assad recently called Erdogan a "thief".

34,000 Kurds are said to have already withdrawn from the buffer zone

Meanwhile, the Kurdish fighters have apparently withdrawn completely from the Turkish border area. The withdrawal was completed, according to Russia, before the deadline on Tuesday evening. Turkey announced the beginning of joint patrols with Russia.

"The withdrawal of the armed units from the area on which a security corridor is to be created, was completed early," said Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, according to Russian news agencies. A total of 68 units of Kurdish forces with 34,000 fighters have withdrawn, said the head of the Russian Center for the Re-reconciliation of the warring factions in Syria, Yuri Borenkov. He also said that the Syrian army had built 84 border posts along the border with Turkey.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Russia had informed him of the withdrawal of the "terrorist groups". Erdogan has threatened to resume the offensive if the YPG does not retire completely.

The humanitarian situation in northern Syria is devastating, according to the World Food Program (WFP). "Many people have had to flee and leave their belongings behind, saying they need food, medicines, cloakroom and other necessities of daily use," said WFP spokesperson Hervé Verhoosel in Geneva. Of the 180,000 people displaced after the Turkish invasion on 9 October, 106,000 were still on the run. The aid organization has since provided food to more than 300,000 people in the region.