Turkish military, Free Syrian Army free another village

By Omer Koparan, Levent Tok and Adham Kako

AZAZ, Syria

Turkish soldiers and Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters have cleared Sheran town's Serincek village of PYD/PKK terrorists in northwestern Afrin region, according to Anadolu Agency correspondents on the ground on Sunday.

Serincek village is located northeast to Afrin.

Earlier on Sunday, Turkish military and the FSA captured Hec Iskendere village in the west of Jinderes in Afrin.

Since the beginning of the operation, 49 different strategic areas have been captured from the clutches of terrorists, among them a town center, 32 villages, three rural areas and 13 hills.

Turkey on Jan 20. launched Operation Olive Branch to remove PYD/PKK and Daesh terrorists from Afrin.

According to the Turkish General Staff, the operation aims to establish security and stability along Turkey’s borders and the region as well as to protect Syrians from 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 has also said that only terrorist targets are being destroyed and "utmost importance" is being put on avoiding harming civilians.

Afrin has been a major hideout for the PYD/PKK since July 2012 when the Assad regime in Syria left the city to the terror group without a fight.