Turkey-backed FSA captures two more towns in Syria's Afrin
The Turkish military and FSA have captured more territory in what's being called an 'important phase' of Operation Olive Branch. But rockets fired from YPG-held Afrin continue to rain into the border towns of Turkey, killing and injuring civilians.
Turkish tanks are seen at Bulbul village of Afrin after the clearing of the region from YPG/PKK terror group targets within 'Operation Olive Branch' launched in Syria's Afrin.
The Turkish Armed Forces and the Turkey-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) have captured two more towns in Syria's Afrin as the Operation Olive Branch continues to advance.
The strategic town of Bulbul was captured from the YPG in what has been called an "important phase" of the operation.
In the past 13 days, Turkey has captured an 18-kilometer stretch of land near its border with Syria, and they are fighting on several other fronts alongside its ally the FSA with plans of encircling Afrin.
TRT World's Anelise Borges reports from the border.
On January 20, Turkey launched the operation to clear the YPG/PKK and Daesh terrorists from Afrin in northwestern Syria.
The operation started days after the US announced the formation of a 30,000-strong "Border Security Force" composed of YPG/SDF militants near Turkey's border in northern Syria.
The announcement was met with alarm by Ankara, which considers the YPG to be the Syrian branch of the PKK, which is a designated as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the US and EU.
Turkey’s biggest security concern is the YPG carving out an autonomous territory near its southeastern border.
Fifty-five rockets from YPG-held Afrin have been launched into the Turkish border towns, killing several people and wounding over 70 civilians.
A teenage girl was killed on Wednesday when a rocket hit her home in the town of Reyhanli.
Copyright © 2024 TRT World.