By Satuk Bugra Kutlugun
ANKARA
Turkish military on Monday said civilians, historical, cultural and religious sites are “inviolable” for the country’s troops.
Turkish Armed Forces, along with Free Syrian Army, took complete control of the Afrin town center in northwestern Syria on Sunday as of 8.30 a.m. local time (GMT0530).
"Civilian/innocent people, environment, historical, religious and cultural buildings are all inviolable for Turkish Armed Forces," said the post shared by Turkish Armed Forces on Twitter.
Civilian/innocent people, environment, historical, religious and cultural buildings are all inviolable for Turkish Armed Forces. pic.twitter.com/X8LhMxkaLt
— TSK (@TSKGnkur) 19 Mart 2018
Turkish Armed Forces also released the post-operation photos of Raqqah, Aleppo, Mosul and Eastern Ghouta to compare the cities' current situations with Afrin.
The Afrin’s town center was cleared of terrorists on the 58th day of the Operation Olive Branch.
Turkey on Jan. 20 launched Operation Olive Branch to remove PYD/PKK and Daesh terrorists from 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 protect Syrians from terrorist cruelty and oppression.
After the Turkish military and Free Syrian Army liberated the Afrin town center from YPG/PKK and Daesh terrorists on Sunday, fresh aerial footage showed that the civilians and buildings there remained unharmed.
Raqqah turned into ruins
However, during a U.S.-backed operation in Syria's Raqqah, more than 2,000 civilians had been killed and the city center was turned into ruins when the YPG/PKK cleared the area from Daesh.
On Oct. 17, 2017, the YPG/PKK backed by the U.S. forces cleared Daesh terrorists from Raqqah. The footage filmed by Anadolu Agency’s correspondent displayed the whole of Raqqah was turned into ruins.
A group of activists -- named Raqqah is Being Slaughtered Silently -- reported on Oct. 17, 2017 that 90 percent of the city was demolished.
On Dec. 14, 2017, Syrian Network for Human Rights said in a report that 2,371 civilians -- including 562 children -- were killed during the operation and around 450,000 civilians were left displaced.
Turkish Armed Forces and Free Syrian Army (FSA) have shown maximum sensitivity for the safety of civilians during the Operation Olive Branch, which was launched on Jan. 20 to clear the area of YPG/PKK-Daesh terrorists.
The footages filmed by the Anadolu Agency and the Turkish army’s drones revealed that the buildings in Afrin’s city center remained undamaged.
The footages also showed that life has returned to normalcy and civilians can be seen on the streets.
Some of the vehicles and buildings in the city center were damaged by the terrorist group in a bid to give an impression that the Turkish military has targeted civilians.
