Turkey continues to shell YPG targets in Afrin on third day of operation

KİLİS – Anadolu Agency

The Turkish military continued to shell positions of the Syrian Kurdish militia the People’s Protection Units (YPG) in Syria’s Afrin on Jan. 22, the third day of Operation Olive Branch.

The military carried out the shelling from Turkey’s border province of Kilis in support of the Free Syrian Army, which is conducting the ground operation in Afrin.

The artillery fire could be heard from the city center in Kilis as well as in some villages of the neighboring province of Hatay.

Meanwhile, Turkey launched a military operation on Jan. 22 towards Afrin from Syria’s Azaz, the Turkish military announced around noon on the same day, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency.

The military vehicle reinforcements continued to be made for the border units.

The Turkish Armed Forces on Jan. 21 took control of 11 YPG positions and created safe zones during Operation Olive Branch in Afrin.

The Turkish army in alliance with the Free Syrian Army (FSA) captured Afrin’s Shankal, Qorne, Bali, Adah Manli villages and Kita, Kordo and Bibno rural areas along with four other hills.        

On the first day of the ground operation, which started in the early hours of Jan. 21, the Turkish army surrounded Afrin from its north, northwest and west.        

On Jan. 20, Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch against the YPG, which it sees as linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), in Afrin.

The Turkish General Staff says the operation aims to establish security and stability along Turkey’s borders and the region, as well as to protect the Syrian people.

It stated that the operation was being carried out under the framework of Turkey’s rights based on international law, U.N. Security Council decisions, self-defense rights under the U.N. charter, and respect for Syria’s territorial integrity.

The military also said “utmost importance” was being placed on not harming any civilians.