Turkish soldiers, Free Syrian Army liberate 1 village

By Burak Karacaoglu

IDLIB, Syria

Turkish Armed Forces and Free Syrian Army (FSA) units liberated a village in western Afrin of PYD/PKK terrorists following an operation launched in the Raju district on Tuesday morning.

According to a Anadolu Agency correspondent at the scene, the village of al-Qana in west Afrin has been liberated.

It came after the villages of Khalil and Sati Ushaghi in western Afrin were cleared of the terrorists earlier on Tuesday.

Including the villages, 24 areas have been cleared as of day 11 of Operation Olive Branch, launched on Jan. 20 to clear PYD/PKK and Daesh terrorists from Afrin in northwestern Syria.

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

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.