The Operation Olive Branch has been launched in Syria's northwestern Afrin region to clear terrorist groups as PKK and its affiliates KCK, PYD, YPG, and Daesh, the Turkish Armed Forces said in a statement, Turkish media reports.
The operation has been launched as of Jan. 20, 5:00 p.m. to neutralize terrorist groups and liberate friendly ans brotherly people of the region from their oppression and tyranny, it added, noting that the operation aims to provide security and stability in Turkey's borders and in the region.
The operation complies with international law, UN Security Council resolutions, especially No. 1624 (2005), 2170 (2014) ve 2178 (2014) and Article 51 of UN Charter on Right of Self Defense, the statement said.
It underlined that during the operation's planning and conduct, only terrorists and their shelters, weapons, vehicles and tools are being targeted and utmost care is being shown for civilians not to be harmed.