Nearly 1,800 YPG militants ‘neutralized’ in Afrin op: Turkish army
ANKARA
The Turkish General Staff said in a statement on Feb. 21 that a total of 1,780 militants have been “neutralized” since the start of “Operation Olive Branch” in the northwestern Syrian district of Afrin.
The authorities use the word “neutralized” in their statements to imply that the militants in question either surrendered or were killed or captured.
On Jan. 20, the Turkish military, alongside elements of the Free Syrian Army (FSA), launched “Operation Olive Branch” to clear Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) militants from Afrin. The Turkish General Staff said the operation aims to establish security and stability along Turkey’s borders and in the region.
