Erdogan says Syria's Afrin to be freed tonight

  14 March 2018    Read: 1616
Erdogan says Syria

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday that he hopes Afrin town center controlled by PKK-linked People's Protection Units (YPG) will have fallen by evening, noting that the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) and the Free Syrian Army (FSA) are showing utmost care and sensitivity to prevent harm on civilians.

Erdogan noted that civilians are being lead out through a special corridor, despite hindering by YPG militants aiming to use them as human shields to prevent Turkish air and artillery strikes.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Turkish General Staff announced that at least 3,444 terrorists have been "neutralized" in Operation Olive Branch, which was launched in northwestern Syria's Afrin on Jan. 20 to remove the PKK/PYD/YPG/KCK and Daesh terrorists.

The Turkish military uses the term "neutralized" in reference to terrorists captured dead or alive, or those who surrender during the operations. However, the term is usually used for the terrorists who have been killed in the operations.

According to the Turkish General Staff, the operation aims to establish security and stability along Turkish borders and in the region as well as to protect Syrian people from the oppression and cruelty of terrorists.


More about: Erdogan   Syria  


News Line