Turkish military, Free Syrian Army take another village in Afrin

ANKARA – Anadolu Agency

The Turkish military and Free Syrian Army (FSA) forces took another northwestern Syrian village from People’s Protection Units (YPG) militants on Feb. 13, state-run Anadolu Agency has reported.

“Operation Olive Branch” cleared YPG militants from the village of Omar Simo in Afrin, Syria.

With the taking of Omar Simo, to date Turkish forces and the FSA have taken control of 52 zones so far in the operation in Afrin, including 34 villages and 14 strategic mountains or hills.

Meanwhile, the Turkish military said on Feb. 13 that a total of 1,439 YPG militants have been “neutralized” since the launch of the operation in Syria’s northwestern Afrin district.

The Turkish authorities often use the word “neutralized” to imply the militants in question either surrendered or were killed or captured.

In a statement, the Turkish General Staff said the Turkish Armed Forces’ overnight airstrikes “neutralized” 70 militants on Feb. 12.

On Jan. 20, Turkey launched “Operation Olive Branch” with the FSA to clear YPG militants from Afrin in northwestern Syria.

Ankara deems the YPG a terror group for its links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).