Clashes have been going on for days between Syrian anti-regime fighters and Kurds in the Syrian town of Ras al-Ain, just across the border from Ceylanpınar.
Ras al-Ain, a mixed Arab and Kurdish town, was bombed for days by Syrian warplanes and helicopters after it was captured by opposition fighters earlier this month. Days after the regime forces withdrew, clashes erupted between the opposition fighters and Kurds. Clashes between anti-regime and Kurdish forces were continuing in the town on Thursday.
A news report said on Thursday that hundreds of Syrian anti-regime fighters crossed into Ras al-Ain from the Turkish border, apparently as reinforcement to the opposition forces as they clash with the Kurds.
Up to 400 anti-regime fighters gathered on the Turkish side of the border in the morning. They apparently discussed combat strategy and then crossed into Ras al-Ain in groups of 10-20 armed men, private broadcaster NTV in the Turkish town of Ceylanpınar reported.
Residents fleeing Ras al-Ain said the fighting was between insurgents of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and Kurds affiliated with the Democratic Union Party (PYD), a Syrian Kurdish party with links to the terrorist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
More than 40,000 people have been killed in 28 years of fighting between Turkey and the PKK. PKK attacks surged over the summer, and Ankara has accused its former ally Syria of handing over border posts to the terrorist group.