Baku, Azerbaijan, March 14
By Rufiz Hafizoglu – Trend:
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has voiced hope that the center of Syria's Afrin district will be freed tonight, Turkish media reported on March 14.
He noted that the Turkish Armed Forces pay special attention to keeping civilians away from harm.
The General Staff of Turkey announced on March 13 about complete encirclement of Afrin by the Turkish Armed Forces and Free Syrian Army.
On Jan. 20, the Turkish Armed Forces, together with the Free Syrian Army, launched the Operation Olive Branch in Afrin, Syria.
Earlier, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim announced that about 8,000-10,000 PYD/YPG terrorists are supposed to be hiding in Afrin.
Turkey began drawing its military to the Syrian border in late June 2017. The forces were being concentrated in Turkish Kilis Province bordering Syrian territory controlled by YPG/PYD.
On Aug. 24, 2016, Turkish Armed Forces, with the support of the Syrian opposition, launched the Euphrates Shield Operation against the IS militants and liberated the city of Jarabulus as well as the city of Al-Bab in northern Syria.
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