Russia: Turkish troops in Syria for operation against Kurds

Ankara - Russia on Sunday accused Turkey of sending its military across the Syrian border to prevent Kurdish groups there from consolidating their positions, while Turkish authorities imposed curfews on two mainly Kurdish towns where Turkey's security forces are set to launch large-scale operations against Kurdish militants..

The governor's office for Hakkari province, which borders Iraq and Iran, said a new 24-hour curfew would take effect in the town Yuksekova at 2000 Sunday, adding that entering and leaving the town would also be banned. Dozens of tanks have been deployed to the town.

Authorities in Mardin province announced that a round-the-clock curfew would take effect in the town of Nusaybin - on the border with Syria - at midnight.

Residents were seen leaving Nusaybin on Sunday, packing cars or heading toward the bus terminal even before the curfew was announced, the Dogan news agency reported. Some tanks were parked at a school ahead of the planned offensive, it said.