At least 20 civilians were killed in Turkish airstrikes and artillery attacks in the Jeb el-Kussa village near the Syrian border on Sunday, according to Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The Britain-based monitoring group said dozens of civilians were wounded during the overnight fighting launched by Turkey against the Kurdish YPG militia and the Islamic State group in the region, reported Reuters.

On Wednesday, the Turkish government sent soldiers and tanks to fight alongside Syrian rebels against the Kurdish forces. They also aim to drive the Islamist militant group out of the region that is believed to be one of its strongholds. The forces have successfully taken over from the group the border town of Jarablus. The Turkish side lost a soldier, the first fatality in their camp, to a rocket that hit a tack on Saturday. Turkey has blamed the Kurdish forces for the death, reported Al Jazeera.