Turkey launches military operation in Syria

Istanbul: Turkey launched an assault on Kurdish positions in northern Syria on Wednesday with air strikes and explosions reported near the border.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the start of the attack on Twitter, labelling it "Operation Peace Spring". Moments later, a cloud of white smoke rose over the Ras al-Ain border area, an AFP correspondent said, adding that warplanes could be seen flying overhead.

"Our mission is to prevent the creation of a terror corridor across our southern border, and to bring peace to the area," Erdogan wrote, adding that the operation would target Kurdish terrorists and the Islamic State group (IS).

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, reported that Turkish air strikes had hit the Ras al-Ain area.