Turkish Jets Target Kurds Who Were Fighting ISIS in Syria

The Turkish military reports it killed up to 200 Kurdish fighters during an air raid north of Aleppo, targeting some of the only forces who were fighting ISIS in Syria.

The senior commander of the Syrian Kurdish militia disputed that number, saying only 10 of his fighters were killed in the raid.

Commander Mahmoud Barkhadan of the People's Protection Units said Turkish tanks have been shelling the Kurdish-led forces in the area since early Wednesday, The Associated Press reported.

"We will not back down," he vowed. "We are fighting Daesh (Islamic State). Why are they striking at us?"

Barkhadan confirmed that 10 of his fighters were killed and 20 wounded in more than 30 aerial attacks, but the number of civilian casualties is not known.

Turkish military officials say they hit 18 targets with 265 airstrikes in areas controlled by the Kurdish militia. They said their headquarters, ammunition dumps and shelters were destroyed in the attacks.

The Turkish air raid is being called a "major escalation," as the offensive to recapture the city of Mosul from ISIS is intensifying.

Kurdish forces have carried out most of offensive against ISIS, making substantial territorial gains, along with advances against jihadists in the Aleppo province, despite Turkish opposition.

The U.S. considers the militia group, known as the People's Protection Units--or YPG, one of the most effective forces to fight the Islamic State group in Syria.

Turkey says the group is an extension of its own outlawed Kurdish fighters and considers it a terrorist organization.

Turkey sent troops and tanks into northern Syria in August to help Syrian opposition forces drive the Islamic State away from the area bordering Turkey, as well as to prevent territorial expansion by Syrian Kurdish forces.

The air raid came after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country would not "wait for terrorists to come and attack" but would go after them before they have a chance to strike.