Nine Militants Behind Attack On Turkish Troops In Syria's Afrin Held On Remand - Reports

A Turkish court has ordered to hold nine militants from the People's Protection Units (YPG) and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) suspected of involvement in a January 23 attack on Turkish soldiers in Syria's Afrin on remand, local media reported on Wednesday, citing judicial sources.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th September, 2018) A Turkish court has ordered to hold nine militants from the People's Protection Units (YPG) and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) suspected of involvement in a January 23 attack on Turkish soldiers in Syria's Afrin on remand, local media reported on Wednesday, citing judicial sources.

The militants are pending trial on charges of deliberate killing, terrorist group membership, and violation of Turkey's territorial integrity, according to the Anadolu news agency.

Tensions between Ankara and the Kurds escalated in July 2015 when a ceasefire between Turkey and the PKK collapsed over a series of terror attacks allegedly committed by the PKK members.

Ankara has long maintained that the YPG supports the PKK, which is considered a terrorist organization in Turkey.