Syria: Turkish soldiers offer hot drinks at checkpoints

By Burak Bir

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey's Defense Ministry released a video on Thursday showing Turkish soldiers in northern Syria offering hot drinks to people during road controls.

In the video, soldiers at the checkpoints can be seen distributing hot drinks to people in the area cleared by Turkey's latest anti-terror operation.

"Our soldiers continue their search activities at the checkpoints in Operation Peace Spring area for the safety of life and property of our Syrian brothers," the ministry said on Twitter.

Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring on Oct. 9 to eliminate YPG/PKK terrorists from northern Syria east of the Euphrates River in order to secure Turkey’s borders, aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees and ensure Syria’s territorial integrity.

On Oct. 22, Turkey reached an agreement with Russia on a 10-point deal to force the terrorist YPG/PKK to withdraw from a planned terror-free zone.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union -- has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children and infants. The YPG is its Syrian offshoot.