Turkey continues military buildup at Syria borders

Turkey continues to boost its military presence at its borders with Syria, amid escalating tensions between Damascus and Ankara, including escalating operations by Kurdish PKK rebels against Turkish forces. Turkish local media outlets have reported that the Turkish army is conducting military training south east of the country and along the Syrian borders using tanks and military patrols. Turkish armed forces will be stationed in villages in Surj town of the Shanli province, according to Ihlas news agency. Meanwhile, the Turkish military also conducted a large training exercise, the third this month, and Ankara warned fishing boats not to approach international waters near Syria. Tanks, armored vehicles and air defense forces participated in the training in Surj town, the Turkish army said in  a statement. According to news reports, the training is considered the biggest of the last three military exercises. Turkey anticipates instability on its borders with Syria, that it thinks might be instigated by PKK rebels.