A fierce battle broke out on Tuesday, April afternoon between the Kurdish-led People’s Protection Units (YPG) and the Turkish Army in the northern countryside of the Aleppo Governorate, Al-Masdar News reports.

According to a report from Aleppo, the YPG forces at the Mennagh Airbase began the hostilities by shelling the Turkish military base that is located west of Azaz city.

The report said the YPG shelling resulted in several casualties for the Turkish military; the move prompted the latter to respond by firing a number of rockets and artillery shells towards the Kurdish group’s positions.

Currently, the two sides are exchanging heavy artillery and missiles near Azaz, with both claiming the other has suffered several casualties from their attacks.

The situation in northern Aleppo has gotten progressively worse over the last three weeks, as Turkish-backed rebels from the National Liberation Front (NLF) continue to redeploy to the front-lines with the YPG and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Turkey has repeatedly warned that they will be conducting a military operation to clear these areas controlled by the YPG and SDF; however, they have been unable to launch any significant attacks due to the presence of U.S. and French troops.