Turkey's Operation Olive Branch in Syria begins its third year

Monday marks the two-year anniversary of Operation Olive Branch. It's the second of three military deployments Turkey's made into northern Syria to secure its border.

Turkish forces, along with their local partners, deployed into northwestern Syria to remove the YPG terror group in and around the district of Afrin.

In 58 days, Turkey expelled the YPG and liberated Afrin from the terror group. 

Then, a local council was set up to represent the area's Kurdish, Arab and Turkmen populations.

Since the operation, displaced Syrians have returned to their homes, and basic services have been restored. 

TRT World's Yasin Eken reports from Afrin.

Last week, Afrin opened a new hospital, school, and post office.

Turkish forces remain in Afrin to keep it secure. 

They say the threat of terror attacks by the YPG remains.

Since 2016, Turkey has launched a trio of successful anti-terrorist operations across its border into northern Syria to prevent the formation of a terrorist corridor there - Operations Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018), and Peace Spring (October 2019).

Turkey on October 9 launched Operation Peace Spring to eliminate YPG/PKK terrorists from northern Syria in order to secure Turkey’s borders, aid the safe return of Syrian refugees, and ensure Syria’s territorial integrity.

Ankara wants YPG/PKK terrorists to withdraw from the region so a safe zone can be created to pave the way for the safe return of some 2 million refugees.

On October 22, Ankara and Moscow reached a deal under which YPG/PKK terrorists would pull back 30 kilometres south of Turkey’s border with Syria, and security forces from Turkey and Russia would mount joint patrols there.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK, listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the US and EU, has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women and children.

The YPG is the PKK's Syrian offshoot.