Lefteris Pitarakis, Author at Daily Hampshire Gazette

In this photo taken from the Turkish side of the border between Turkey and Syria, in Ceylanpinar, Sanliurfa province, southeastern Turkey, Turkish forces fire rockets towards targets in Ras al-Ayn, Syria, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)

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Russia looks to cement its role as Syria power broker

by Lefteris Pitarakis Associated Press, and Bassem Mroue Associated PressOctober 16, 2019

CEYLANPINAR, Turkey — Russia moved to fill the void left by the United States in northern Syria on Tuesday, deploying troops to keep apart advancing Syrian government forces and Turkish troops. At the same time, tensions grew within NATO as Turkey…

People standing on a rooftop in Akcakale, Sanliurfa province, southeastern Turkey, at the border with Syria, watch as in the background smoke billows from fires caused by Turkish bombardment in Tal Abyad, Syria, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2019. Turkey's official Anadolu news agency says Turkey-backed Syrian forces have advanced into the center of a Syrian border town, Tal Abyad, on the fifth day of the Turkey's military offensive against Kurdish fighters in Syria. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)

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Kurds look to Assad for protection as US pulls out of Syria

by Lefteris Pitarakis Associated Press, and Sarah El Deeb Associated PressOctober 13, 2019

Shortly after the Turkish operation inside Syria had started, local residents cheer and applaud as a convoy of Turkish forces vehicles is driven through the town of Akcakale, Sanliurfa province, southeastern Turkey, at the border between Turkey and Syria, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019. Turkey launched a military operation Wednesday against Kurdish fighters in northeastern Syria after U.S. forces pulled back from the area, with a series of airstrikes hitting a town on Syria's northern border....

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Turkey begins offensive against Kurds

by Lefteris Pitarakis Associated Press, and Sarah El Deeb Associated PressOctober 9, 2019