Turkey: 11 remanded for illegal protest of Syria op

By Alptekin Soykan

ISTANBUL

Eleven people were remanded into custody on Wednesday for staging an unauthorized demonstration against Turkey's ongoing operation in Syria's Afrin region, a judicial source said.

Turkey on Saturday launched Operation Olive Branch to remove PYD/PKK and Daesh terrorists from Afrin, a district in Aleppo, northwestern Syria.

On Sunday, a group of 13 people gathered in Istanbul's Kadikoy district without a permit after organizing via social media.

Out of the total arrested, a Kadikoy court remanded 11 suspects, while two others were released under judicial control.

According to the Turkish General Staff, the operation aims to establish security and stability along Turkish borders and the region as well as protect Syrians from terrorist oppression and cruelty.

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 not harming any 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.