Turkey began a planned military offensive into northeastern Syria on Wednesday, launching airstrikes and artillery fire across the border just days after the Trump administration announced it was pulling US troops back from the area.

The operation is aimed at pushing Kurdish forces — who were a key ally of the US in the fight against ISIS — away from Turkey’s border.
“Our aim is to destroy the terror corridor which is trying to be established on our southern border and to bring peace and peace to the region,” Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan tweeted as he announced the start of the operation.

As a barrage of airstrikes and artillery fire volleyed into northern Syria, chaotic scenes unfolded on the ground as people tried to flee to safety. Roads were gridlocked with hundreds of fleeing families, motorcycles piled with five to six people and mattresses strapped to cars.

Acording to Syrian sources on the ground there are 15 dead from initial strike, some of which are civilians, while the US Security Council has convened to address the developments.

The offensive comes days after US President Donald Trump provoked a storm of criticism, including from his own party, by announcing the pullback of US military forces from northeast Syria.

source cnn.com

Barış Pınarı Harekâtına katılan Kahraman Komandolarımız, Fırat’ın Doğusunda ilerlemeye devam ediyor.
??#MSB #TSK #BarışPınarıHarekatı?? pic.twitter.com/9de2a9fWQW

— T.C. Millî Savunma Bakanlığı (@tcsavunma) October 9, 2019

Statement by Minister of National Defence, Hulusi Akar, on Operation Peace Spring. pic.twitter.com/hSsmiRnmdC

— T.C. Millî Savunma Bakanlığı (@tcsavunma) October 9, 2019

WATCH: Turkish airstrikes rock Kurdish targets in Tel Abyad, as Turkey attacks into northern Syria on Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/v0CSukDPHg

— NBC News (@NBCNews) October 9, 2019

A #Syriac house been bombarded in #Qamishli city, the #wife lost her life, the #man with the #kids got injured.#NE #Syria #NorthSyria #war #Turkey pic.twitter.com/x4Z02IPsIo

— Baderkhan Ahmad (@baderkhanahmad) October 9, 2019