TURKEY shelled Kurdish militias in Syria for the second day yesterday in an attempt to save the terrorist forces it backs from destruction.

The bombardment of People’s Protection Units (YPG) positions to the west and south of the the border town of Azaz in northern Aleppo province began on Saturday.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu claimed that his military was merely retaliating for YPG shelling of a military base in the Turkish village of Akcabaglar, just north of the border in Kilis province. He demanded that the YPG halt its offensive on Azaz and withdraw from the Menagh air base to the south, which was secured by the Kurds late last week.

YPG commander Firat Xelil denied yesterday that either his forces or Jaysh al-Thuwwar — part of the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the Kurdish-controlled zone around Afrin — had attacked Turkey.

Two civilians were reported killed in the village of Maryameen, several miles from Azaz and Menagh, while the Syrian government villages of Maranaz, al-Malkieh, Minnegh, Ein Daqneh and Bazi were also hit.

Shelling was also reported in YPG-controlled Malikiyah in the eastern Hassakeh province and on Syrian army positions in the mountainous north of Latakia.

There the army advanced on Kinsibba, the last stronghold of far-right Turkmen militias, taking Arah, Kafartah, Buma, Mazin and Jabal al-Rous.

The Syrian government condemned the shelling yesterday, calling it an attempt to raise the morale of “terrorist” groups that Turkey supports, adding that more insurgents had been seen crossing the border.

The YPG has been driving Ahrar ash-Sham and al-Qaida-affiliated Nusra Front militants from the Azaz corridor, the main insurgent supply line from Turkey to east Aleppo city and Idlib, which was cut two weeks ago when the Syrian army lifted the three-year siege of Zahraa.

Its forces east of the Euphrates river have also driven into Islamic State (Isis)-controlled territory north-west of Aleppo since seizing the Tishrin Dam in late December, threatening the border town of Jarabulus and enraging Ankara.

Yesterday Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Yalcin Akdogan reaffirmed that “the YPG crossing west of the Euphrates is Turkey’s red line.”