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Conflict in Syria

Turkey eliminates 947 terrorists in Afrin operation — General Staff

On January 20, Turkey’s General Staff announced the launch of Operation Olive Branch against the Kurdish People's Protection Units in Syria’s Afrin area

ANKARA, February 5. /TASS/. The Turkish armed forces have "eliminated 947 terrorists" since the start of Operation Olive Branch in the Afrin area in northern Syria, the country’s General Staff said in a statement on Monday.

Read also

Syria warns Turkey’s assault on Afrin threatens historic Iron Age temple

"On February 5, the military forces participating in Operation Olive Branch in Afrin eliminated another 12 terrorists from the People's Protection Units, Kurdistan Workers’ Party, Democratic Union Party and the Islamic State terror group [outlawed in Russia - TASS]. Since the start of the operation, as many as 947 terrorists have been neutralized," the statement reads.

On January 20, Turkey’s General Staff announced the launch of Operation Olive Branch against the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) and forces of the Democratic Union Party in Syria’s Afrin area, where about 1.5 mln Syrian Kurds and refugees from Syria’s other regions reside. The YPG, the main target of the Turkish operation, are the attack force of the Syrian Democratic Forces supported by the United States. Kurdish units were the most effective force taking part in the ground operations against the Islamic State terror group (outlawed in Russia). Ankara considers the YPG and DUP to be terrorist organizations.

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