February 04, 2018•Update: February 05, 2018
By Merve Yildizalp
ANKARA
Two Turkish soldiers were martyred and five wounded on Sunday during Operation Olive Branch, the military said in a statement.
In a statement, the Turkish General Staff said the casualties occurred during clashes with PKK/KCK/PYD-YPG and Daesh terror groups.
On Jan. 20, Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch along with the Free Syrian Army to clear out PYD/PKK and Daesh terrorists from Afrin.
As the operation entered the 16th day, the Turkish General Staff announced that at least 935 PYD/PKK and Daesh terrorists had been "neutralized" since the beginning of Operation Olive Branch in Syria.
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 also said only terror targets were being destroyed and that "utmost importance and sensitivity" was being given to not harm any civilian.
Afrin has been a major hideout for the PYD/PKK since July 2012, when the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria left the city to the terror group without putting up a fight.
