29 January 2018•Update: 29 January 2018
By Said Ibicioglu & Omer Koparan
AZAZ, Syria
A Free Syrian Army (FSA) commander said on Sunday that the PYD/PKK terrorist organization forcibly recruited Kurdish people to fight against the Turkish military and FSA forces.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency following the capture of Mount from the PYD/PKK terrorist organization in northern Syria on Sunday, Abu Ali , one of the commanders of the 3rd Corps, said the mount was "cleared of the terrorists".
"Here, we held one of PYD/PKK terrorists as captive. This organization forcibly recruited many of our Kurdish brothers to fight against Turkish army and FSA," said.
He said those forced to join the terror group also included 16 and 17-year-old minors.
Earlier, the Turkish army and the FSA captured the mountain, as part of the ongoing Operation Olive Branch in Syria's northwestern Afrin region, denying the PYD/PKK terrorist group a strategic peak it used to launch attacks on civilians in both Turkey and Syria.
The PYD/PKK terrorists have used Mount to target civilians in the of Turkey’s Kilis province and Syria’s Azaz district through mortar shells, artillery, and missiles.
On Jan. 20, Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch to rid Afrin of PYD/PKK and Daesh terrorists.
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 oppression and cruelty.
