Turkey Takes Utmost Care To Protect Civilians In Afrin, Erdoğan Says

06 February 2018

Anadolu Agency

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Friday that Turkey takes utmost care to make sure that civilians are not affected by the ongoing Operation Olive Branch in Syria's Afrin targeting the PKK-linked People's Protection Units (YPG) terrorist group.

Addressing a party meeting in the capital, Erdoğan highlighted that Turkey has no interest in invading another country, unlike others who have been carrying out military interventions for almost over two decades in Afghanistan and in Libya.

Erdoğan noted that Turkey aims to secure its border and clear terrorists off the Syrian-Turkish borders, as the terrorist group has been advancing and posing a threat to Turkey's national security, which many partners turned a blind eye to.

'Turkey will take matters into its own hands in the fight against terror if others do not cooperate,' Erdoğan said, adding that Afrin operation is a 'clear warning' to those who don't want to understand Turkey's determination in the fight against terrorism.

The president also noted that Turkey's operation will also focus on Syria's Manbij after Afrin is cleared.

'Arabs are the rightful owners of Manbij, not YPG/PYD terrorists,' Erdoğan said.

The operation in Afrin - bordering Turkey's Hatay and Kilis provinces - was widely expected in the wake of Turkey's Operation Euphrates Shield in northern Syria, which cleared Daesh terrorists from Turkey's border between Aug. 24, 2016, and March 2017.

Afrin has been a major hideout for the YPG/PKK since July 2012 when the Assad regime in Syria left the city to the terror group without putting up a fight.

President Erdoğan visits, inspects Afrin operation base in southern Hatay

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Thursday visited and inspected Turkish military units in southern Hatay province bordering northwestern Syria's Afrin, as the Operation Olive Branch targeting PKK/PYD/YPG and Daesh terrorists in the Afrin region continues.

Erdoğan, accompanied by Chief of General Staff Hulusi Akar, visited the operation base on the sixth day of the ongoing Afrin counter-terror operation.

Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdağ, Defense Minister Nurettin Canikli and Land Forces Commander of the Turkish Armed Forces Gen. Yaşar Güler were also present during the high-profile visit.

Due to the president's surprise trip to Hatay, a previously-planned meeting between Erdoğan and Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım was postponed, media sources said.

According to the Turkish General Staff, the Operation Olive Branch aims to establish security and stability along Turkish borders and in the region, as well as to protect Syrian people from the oppression and cruelty of terrorists.

The operation is being carried out under the framework of Turkey's rights within international law, U.N. Security Council resolutions, its right to self-defense under the U.N. charter and respect for Syria's territorial integrity, it said.

The military also said 'utmost importance' is being placed on not harming any civilians.

The operation in Afrin - bordering Turkey's Hatay and Kilis provinces - was widely expected in the wake of Turkey's Operation Euphrates Shield in northern Syria, which cleared Daesh terrorists from Turkey's border between Aug. 24, 2016, and March 2017.

Afrin has been a major hideout for the YPG/PKK since July 2012 when the Assad regime in Syria left the city to the terror group without putting up a fight. 

©  EsinIslam.Com

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