Turkey makes small advances in 2nd day of Syria invasion

AKCAKALE, Turkey (AP) — Turkish ground forces seized at least one village from Kurdish fighters in northern Syria as they pressed ahead with their assault for a second day Thursday, pounding towns and villages along with border with airstrikes and artillery.

Residents of border areas within Syria scrambled in panic as they tried to get out on foot and in cars, pick-up trucks and motorcycle rickshaws piled with mattresses and belongings. More than a dozen columns of heavy black smoke, apparently from fires caused by shelling, rose above one border town.

It was wrenchingly familiar for the many who only a few years ago, had fled the advances on their towns and villages by the Islamic State group.