Nearly half of Afrin op. area under control: Bozdag

By Duygu Yener and Orhan Topal

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish deputy prime minister and government spokesman said Monday almost half of the area that Operation Olive Branch aims to secure in Syria’s Afrin is now under the Turkish military's control.

Speaking after a Cabinet meeting in Ankara, Bekir Bozdag said, "In Operation Olive Branch, so far 112 villages, 30 critical positions, and a total of 142 spots have been taken under control.”

He also said 2,795 terrorists have been ‘neutralized’ since start of the operation.

Turkish authorities often use the word "neutralized" in their statements to imply the terrorists in question either surrendered or were killed or captured.

On Jan. 20, Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch 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 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, it said.

The military also said only terror targets are being destroyed and that "utmost care" is being taken to avoid harming civilians.