Syrian girl saved from debris by Turkish army healing

By Ridvan Korkulutas

GAZIANTEP

A young girl rescued by Turkish soldiers from the debris of a YPG/PKK terrorist bomb attack in Afrin, Syria is busy making her recovery in southern Turkey.

The blast came from improvised explosives planted by terrorists in residential areas in Afrin, which recently was liberated from terrorists by Turkish troops and Free Syrian Army (FSA) as part of Operation Olive Branch.

One of these YPG/PKK terrorist explosives went off some two weeks ago and claimed the lives of at least seven civilians and four FSA fighters and also damaged a number of nearby buildings and cars.

Delcin Hassan, 10, along with her family, was living in the building where the bomb went off, and lost her parents and three siblings.

Hassan was rescued from the debris and was immediately taken to Turkey’s Kilis State Hospital and later to Sehitkamil State Hospital in Gaziantep.

The hospital staff never leaves the side of Hassan, who suffered from liver damage and several broken bones. She began to take small steps but is still unaware of the loss of her family.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Hassan said she was rescued from the debris by Turkish soldiers.

She also expressed gratitude to Turkey and the hospital staff.

“Her intensive care treatment is completed,” said Dr. Ali Guven Fincan, Sehitkamil’s chief of medicine.

“Once she’s fully recovered we’ll discharge her. We’re trying to treat patients coming from Syria as much as possible. The [Turkish] government is providing great support for this.”

Aisha Ahmad, a relative of the girl who is accompanying her at the hospital, praised the Turkish army’s efforts in Afrin, saying: “We will continue with our lives once we return there. Afrin is liberated thanks to the Turkish soldiers. They’re also our children.”

On March 18, a booby-trapped bomb exploded in a four-story building during a security sweep in a neighborhood in Afrin liberated earlier that day by Turkish-backed forces.

Turkey on Jan. 20 launched Operation Olive Branch to remove YPG/PKK and Daesh terrorists from Afrin.

According to the Turkish General Staff, Operation Olive Branch has aimed to establish security and stability along Turkey's borders and the region as well as protect Syrians from terrorist cruelty and oppression.

The operation is being carried out under the framework of Turkey’s rights based on international law, UN Security Council resolutions, its 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 care" is being taken to avoid harming any civilians.