Turkey says the YPG — a group it considers a terrorist organization — is an extension of an outlawed Kurdish rebel group that it is fighting inside its own borders, and it has found common cause with Syrian opposition groups who view the YPG as a counter-revolutionary force in Syria’s multi-sided civil war. Turkey launched a cross-border attack on Saturday on the frontier region of Afrin, saying its aim is to crush the YPG, a Syrian Kurdish militia that has been the principal military ally of the United States on the ground against Islamic State. "The Arab Republic of Egypt expresses its rejection of the military operation carried out by the Turkish troops against the town of Afrin in northwestern Syria, considering the operation as yet another violation of Syria's sovereignty and the disruption of efforts within the framework of the existing political decisions and efforts on struggle against terrorism in Syria," the statement said.The ministry said that Cairo strongly opposed the military solution to the Syrian crisis calling for a comprehensive political process.Earlier today, NTV broadcaster reported that Turkish tanks entered Syrian Afrin , backing the offensive of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) armed opposition group on the positions of Kurdish militia.The announcement came a day after the Turkish General Staff had declared the launch of the operation dubbed Olive Branch against the Kurdish forces in Afrin. By Mehmet Guzel and Philip Issa, The Associated Press

KOCABEYLI, Turkey — Turkish jets bombed the Kurdish-controlled city of Afrin in northern Syria on Saturday, as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan promised to expand Turkey’s military border operations against a Kurdish group that has been the U.S.’s key Syria ally in the war on the Islamic State group.
Turkish President Erdoğan announces that Turkish Army ground troops have entered the district of Afrin in Syria. Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım says the goal is to establish a 30-km safe zone.