MOSCOW, February 12. /TASS/. Kurdish fighters have been containing the attacks of the Free Syrian Army (FSA), supported by Turkish armored vehicles, north and southwest from the Syrian city of Afrin (65 kilometers from Aleppo), the Firat pro-Kurdish news agency said, adding that on Monday, members of the People's Protection Units (YPG) had destroyed four tanks and killed nine Turkish soldiers and FSA militants.

According to Syria’s Al-Watan daily, since Turkey’s Operation Olive Branch started on January 20, a total of 185 FSA members and 27 Turkish soldiers have been killed in northern Syria, while the YNG units lost 148 fighters.

The daily added that the Turkish troops were shelling settlements north of Afrin, where the YPG positions were located. There have been reports of civilian deaths. According to Al-Watan, the Turkish shelling and air raids were also damaging residential dwellings and household facilities.

Around 150 Kurds and Arabs have been killed in the fighting in northern Syria. Sources in the Afrin city hospital said that medical aid had been provided to 345 wounded, mostly women and children.

According to the Turkish General Staff, the country’s armed forces have eliminated 1,369 terrorists, including YPG fighters, as Ankara considers the YPG to be a terrorist organization.