people living in Afrin, which was freed from the terrorist group group Syrian offshoot of the PKK, the YPG, by the Turks military and the Syrian National Army (SNA), want the terrorist group to end the attacks on the fourth anniversary of the city is liberation.
Turkey’s Operation Olive Branch, which ended on March 18, 2018, was launched on January 20 ditto year. Turkish forces and SNA liberated six city centers, 282 villages, six villages, 23 strategic mountains and hills, one barrage and 50 strategic points.
fifty four turkish soldiers lost their lives, 236 soldiers were injured, while 320 SNA soldiers were killed in action. Some 4,500 terrorists were killed in the operation
The operation in Afrin – which is near the border with Turkey’s Hatay province – was widely expected in the alarm of Operation Euphrates Shield, which cleared Daesh terrorists from the Turkish border between August 24, 2016 and March 2017.
Afrin had been a major stronghold for YPG/PKK since July 2012, when Bashar Assad’s regime in Syria left the city to the terrorist group without putting up a fight. To end terrorism group oppression of local peopleTurkey authorized the area of PKK-affiliated terrorists with 72 Turkish planes hitting targets following a announcement of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on January 20, 2018.
Turkish security forces took most grand careful not to harm civilians, while terrorists group, in on the contrary, used civilians as human beings shields. During the operation, the YPG/PKK targeted residential areas in Turkish provinces of Hatay and Kilis nearby, launching missile attacks that killed seven civilians and injured 124.
Following Operation Olive Branch, many Turkish humanitarian agencies, including the Turkish Red Crescent, distributed food daily in the district center and the villages to meet the needs of the people.
With the stability in the region secured, civilians began to return to their homes following March 20, 2018. The number of civilians who returned to their homes reached 600,000 in the past four years.
Seven local councils were established after liberation, to serve people’s needs, including assistance in agriculture, tradeculture, sportshealth and education.
The tips have also carries out reconstruction and work to repair the roads.
Turkey has also provided support in the health and education sectors, by opening a 100-bed hospital. There are five hospitals in the city center and established medical centers in different neighborhoods provide free health care to residents of load.
Liberation of Afrin from YPG/PKK terrorists also paved the way for a new curriculum to replace one imposed by terrorists.
About 75,000 students in 272 schools, including the post- secondary school Gaziantep University Afrin Education Center, receive an education in the city.
The wary residents of being targeted by YPG/PKK terrorists
Mustafa Solaiman, resident of Afrin, who spoke to Anadolu Agency (AA) on Thursday noted that the area has often been targeted in attacks.
“I come from Afrin and I was injured in the rocket attacks carried out by the YPG/PKK 45 days ago,” Solaiman said, adding that the YPG/PKK targets innocent civilians.
Still undergoing treatment, Solaiman said he was satisfied with health services and thanked Turkey.
Meanwhile, Ibrahim Khalil Mustafa said Afrin is gradually returning to normal and has become much more easier conduct tradebut frequent attacks by YPG/PKK terrorists limit people their homes.
“We hope that the terrorist attacks will stop soon,” he said.
Another resident, Ahmed Isa, told AA that Afrin had been revived at a great extent after Turkey’s operation, but YPG/PKK terrorists continue to target city using rockets and car bombs.
“We want for live in peace,” he said.
Turkey eliminates 3 YPG/PKK terrorists in northern syria
Meanwhile, the Turks military eliminated three YPG/PKK terrorists in the area of Operation Euphrates Shield in northern Syria, the Ministry of Defense announced on Thursday.
Since 2016, Turkey has launched a trio of successful counter-terrorism operations across its border in northern Syria to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and enable the peaceful settlement of residents – namely Operation Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018) and Peace Spring (2019).
In son more over 40-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union – was responsible for the dead of over 40,000 people including womenchildrenand infants.
Local people living in areas held by the YPG have long suffered from its atrocities, car The Terrorists organization has a notoriety record of human rights violations, ranging from kidnappings to recruitment of child soldierstorture, ethnic cleansing and forced displacement in Syria.
The United States mainly associated with the YPG in northern syria in the fight against Daesh terrorist group. Turkey strongly opposes YPG presence in northern Syria, which has been a major sticking point in strained Ankara-Washington relations. The United States provided military training and thousands of trucks of weapons to the YPG, despite the security concerns of son NATO ally.
