Turkish military responds to PYD/PKK firing from Afrin
Turkey's military says it has retaliated against fire into Turkey from across the border in a PKK/PYD-controlled enclave in northwest Syria.
- Türkiye
- Agencies and A News
- Published Date: 12:00 | 20 January 2018
- Modified Date: 01:35 | 20 January 2018
Turkish military said on Saturday it retaliated against the PYD/PKK terror group's firing from Syria's Afrin on Jan. 19-20, destroying shelters, hideouts.
The Turkish army said it launched new strikes Saturday against the PKK/PYD terrorists in northern Syria, amid mounting expectations of a cross-border ground operation.
The army said it hit in "legitimate self defence" camps and refuges used by the YPG in response to fire coming from the Afrin region controlled by the terror group.
Turkey has vowed to launch a ground operation into Afrin to eradicate the threat from the PYD that has become the Syrian offshoot of the PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and EU. It has been massing troops and tanks at its border.
Turkey's defense minister said Thursday the offensive into Afrin had "de facto" started, in reference to sporadic Turkish military shelling of the area.
Turkish military units are already deployed in Afrin, a district of Aleppo near the Turkish-Syria border, which is under siege by the PYD/PKK terrorist organization.
An Afrin operation would follow Turkey's successful seven-month Operation Euphrates Shield, which ended in March 2017.