23 February 2018•Update: 23 February 2018
By Soner Kilinc
AFRIN, Syria
Turkish troops are continuing their shelling of YPG/PKK-Daesh terror positions as Turkey's ongoing Afrin operation entered its second month, a military source told Anadolu Agency.
The Turkish Armed Forces have made advances towards Afrin, capturing dozens of villages with support from the Free Syrian Army (FSA).
Since the launch of the operation on Jan. 20, the Turkish military and the FSA liberated 100 targets -- including one district center -- plus 72 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.
The army keeps pounding terrorist targets and their positions from rocket launchers positioned on the border line as part of operation, the source, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on talking to the media, said.
Turkish army strikes terror positions with T-122 Sakarya multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) after the terror targets are located by drones and unmanned aerial vehicles, source said.
Rocket batteries have the capacity of launching a rocket per two seconds continuously even in inclement weather conditions.
Long-ranged rocket launchers have also a capacity to hit terror positions in Afrin city. Rockets have contributed a lot to the operation, the source added.
The objective of Operation Olive Branch is to clear YPG/PKK and Daesh terrorists from Afrin, northwestern Syria.
According to the Turkish General Staff, the operation aims to establish security and stability along Turkey’s borders and the region as well as to protect Syrians from 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 resolutions, its self-defense rights under the UN charter, and respect for Syria's territorial integrity, it said.
