New plans for Turkey's operation in Syria's Afrin are in pipeline

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday highlighted the achievements of the ongoing military operation in Syria’s northwestern Afrin region, stating that 415 square kilometres (160 square miles) of territory were now under Turkish control and over 1,870 terrorists had been neutralised.

Speaking at a meeting with the provincial heads of the governing Justice and Development (AK) Party in the capital Ankara, Erdogan said, “We have neutralised 1,873 terrorists and have an area of 415 square kilometres under our control.”

Turkish authorities often use the word "neutralised" in their statements to imply the terrorists in question either surrendered or were killed or captured.

“The operation will continue under a new strategy after Afrin city centre is surrounded as soon as possible and the terrorists are cut off from outside contact,” Erdogan said.

He added that Turkey expected the next part of the ongoing Afrin operation to proceed faster since strategic hills in the region were now largely cleared of terrorists.

On January 20, Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch to clear YPG/PKK and Daesh terrorists from Syria's Afrin.

According to the Turkish General Staff, the operation aims to establish security and stability along Turkey’s borders and the region, as well as to protect Syrians from terrorist oppression. They added that it is being carried out under the framework of Turkey's rights based on international law, UN Security Council resolutions, its self-defence rights under the UN charter, and respect for Syria's territorial integrity.