TAL ABYAD, Syria
YPG/PKK terror group turned an Armenian church into a headquarters in northern Syria’s Tal Abyad district.
According to a video footage obtained by Anadolu Agency, terrorists decorated inside the church with the images of Abdullah Ocalan, PKK's head terrorist.
YPG/PKK terror group is believed to have closed the church to religious duties and terrorists used it as a headquarters.
“When we entered the district center in Tal Abyad, we did not get close to the church. We did not want it to get damaged,” said Abu Abdo, a commander of Syrian National Army (SNA) which rescued the church.
“We call on our Christian and Armenian brothers and sisters to return to Tal Abyad. They can practice their religious duties. We are brothers,” he added.
YPG/PKK terror group uses civilian settlements and religious buildings to target Turkish territory once Turkey launched a counter-terrorism operation in northern Syria.
Terror group’s snipers use mosques’ minarets to target anti-terror units.
On Oct. 9, Turkey had launched Operation Peace Spring to eliminate terrorists from northern Syria in order to secure Turkey’s borders, aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees and ensure Syria’s territorial integrity.
On Thursday, Turkey agreed to pause its Operation Peace Spring for 120 hours to allow the withdrawal of terrorist YPG/PKK forces from the planned safe zone.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and U.S. Vice President Mike Pence also agreed on Turkey having 20 miles (32 kilometers) of safe zone south of the Turkish border in Syria.
Ankara wants to clear northern Syria east of the Euphrates River of the terrorist PKK and its Syrian offshoot, the YPG/PKK.
In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union -- has been responsible for deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.
*Writing by Ali Murat Alhas and Davut Demircan
