24 February 2018•Update: 25 February 2018
By Esref Musa and Burak Karacaoglu
IDLIB, Syria
The Turkish Armed Forces and Free Syrian Army (FSA) forces liberated two more villages from YPG/PKK-Daesh terrorists Saturday as part of the Operation Olive Branch in northwestern Syria's Afrin.
The villages of Abu Kab and Hajilar in the Jindaras area, located southwest of Afrin, have been cleared of all the terrorists, Anadolu Agency’s correspondents in the field reported.
Since the launch of the operation on Jan. 20, Turkish military and the FSA liberated 103 locations including one center of a district, 75 villages, 20 strategic mountains and hills and one YPG/PKK-Daesh base.
Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch to remove YPG/PKK-Daesh terrorists from Afrin.
According to Turkish General Staff, the operation aims to establish security and stability along Turkish borders and the region as well as to protect the Syrian people from the oppression and cruelty of terrorists.
The operation is being carried out under the framework of Turkey’s rights based on international law, UN Security Council’s decisions, self-defense rights under the UN charter and respect for Syria's territorial integrity, it said.
The military has also said that only terrorist targets are being destroyed and "utmost importance" is being given to not harm any civilians.
Afrin has been a major hideout for the PYD/PKK since July 2012 when the Assad regime in Syria left the city to the terror group without putting up a fight.o
