By Zuhal Demirci

ANKARA

Students at a university in Pakistan performed a special prayer Tuesday for the victory of the Turkish military in its ongoing operation in northwestern Syria.

Turkey’s Yunus Emre Institute, which was the co-organizer of the prayer event at the University of the Punjab in Pakistan’s Lahore city, said in a written statement that the prayer session was followed by the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran.

Along with the university students, teachers and officials of Yunus Emre Institute in Pakistan also attended the event.

Turkey on Saturday launched Operation Olive Branch to remove the PYD/PKK and Daesh terrorists from the northwestern Syrian city of Afrin.

According to the Turkish General Staff, the ongoing operation aims to establish security and stability along Turkey’s borders and the region as well as to protect Syrians from the oppression and cruelty of terrorists.

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 the "utmost importance" is being put on not harming civilians.

Afrin has been a major hideout for the PYD/PKK since July 2012 when the regime of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad left the city to the terror group without putting up a fight.