After liberating it from the terrorist group PKK/YPG, the opposition Syrian National Army has uncovered a 10-kilometre (6.2-mile) tunnel network in the northwestern city of Tel Rifaat.
Anadolu Agency, TRT World and TRT Arabi were the first news organisations there to capture the tunnel network in Tel Rifaat, a city in Syria's Aleppo province, on camera.
A search followed by Anadolu Agency of the tunnels dug metres below the buildings found stacked barrels, electrical cables, and rooms with beds behind iron doors.
The tunnels were seen to be about 1 metre wide by 2 metres high (3.3 by 6.6 feet).
Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) footage of the city shows that many houses in Tel Rifaat, which has been under terrorist occupation for years, have fallen into disrepair due to a lack of maintenance.
TRT World had unprecedented access to the underground tunnel system once used by the PKK/YPG terrorist group revealing the scale and sophistication of their activities in the region.
Civilian settlements for terrorist activities
The terrorist PKK/YPG, the Syrian-based branch of the PKK, has waged a long and destructive terror campaign against Türkiye.
In the territories it occupies in Syria, particularly near the border, the group has dug extensive tunnels to serve as hiding places, facilitate infiltration, and enable sudden attacks.
These tunnels are also strategically used to transport materials between different regions, enhancing the group's mobility and logistical capabilities within occupied areas.
The terrorist group was previously seen digging tunnels and pits in other Syrian provinces and settlements, including Afrin, Manbij, Ayn al Arab, Tel Abyad, Ras al Ayn, Sirrin, Qamishli, Al Hasakah and Malikiyya.
The terrorists, who use civilians as human shields, usually dig tunnels leading to houses, schools, hospitals and places of worship in the areas they occupy.
TRT Arabi also had access to the Syrian regime's Neyrab Military Airport in Aleppo, which was a launch point for bombing civilians for years. Now it is taken over by Syrian opposition factions.
Operation Dawn of Freedom
The SNA launched Operation Dawn of Freedom on Sunday to counter PKK/YPG attempts to establish a terrorist corridor linking Tel Rifaat with northeastern Syria. Amid attacks on Syria’s Assad regime, the terrorist PKK/YPG group is seeking to exploit the unclear security situation to establish a terrorist corridor.
In its 40-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organisation by Türkiye, the US, and the EU – has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children, infants, and the elderly.
The YPG is the PKK's offshoot in Syria, the scene of the current fighting, and an area where for years the group has tried to establish a terrorist corridor along the Turkish border.
In recent years Türkiye has deployed troops and worked with local allies such as the SNA to prevent this and keep locals safe from terrorist oppression.
