March 20, 2019 - 11:44 AMT
"Heavy clashes" break out between Turkey-backed rebels in Syria

A fierce battle broke out between two large rebel factions loyal to Turkey on Tuesday, March 19resulting in a number of casualties for both sides involved, Al-Masdar News reports.

According to reports from northern Syria, Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham and the Free Syrian Police clashed on Tuesday after members from the former assaulted a traffic officer inside the border city of Jarabulus.

Following the assault, the Free Syrian Police sent reinforcements to the area and the clashes intensified, with at three fighters reportedly wounded.

In response to the infighting, the Turkish military sent a convoy to Jarabulus in an attempt to deter both sides from engaging in further hostilities around the city.

The clashes mark the second time in the last 48 hours that Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham has been involved in some kind of infighting with another rebel group.

The city of Jarabulus is located in the northeastern part of the Aleppo Governorate; it was previously under the control of the Kurdish-led People’s Protection Units (YPG) after they expelled the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL/IS/Daesh) from the area.