One Turkish soldier was martyred and two were injured by a terrorist attack in eastern Turkey, governor's office said on Friday. Terrorists opened fir
One Turkish soldier was martyred and two were injured by a terrorist attack in eastern Turkey, governor’s office said on Friday.
Terrorists opened fire on soldiers on patrol in Caldiran, in the eastern Van province, along the Iranian border, said a statement by the Van Governor’s Office.
The two injured soldiers were referred to the hospital for treatment, the statement added.
The terrorists’ affiliation was not given.
Turkey, US agree over pausing op in Syria
Turkey and the U.S. agreed on pausing of Turkey’s anti-terror operation in northern Syria on Thursday.”Turkey’s military operation will pause for 120 hours,” U.S. Vice President Mike Pence told a news conference at the U.S. Embassy to Turkey in Ankara.He went on to say that withdrawal of YPG/PKK terrorists from the safe zone has already begun which led to pausing Turkey’s military operation.Turkey will get 20 miles (32 kilometers) of safe zone, Pence added.Pence said that Turkey and the U.S. also agreed to eliminate Daesh completely in Syria’s northeast.Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring in northern Syria on Oct. 9 in order to secure Turkey’s borders, aid the safe return of Syrian refugees, and ensure Syria’s territorial integrity.Ankara wants to clear the region east of the Euphrates River of the terrorist PKK and its Syrian offshoot, the YPG.In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK — listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and the European Union — has been responsible for deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.
YPG/PKK torch civilian homes in Tal Abyad, Syria
YPG/PKK terrorists have torched civilian homes in Tal Abyad before fleeing the district amid ongoing Turkey-led anti-terror operation in northern Syria.Adjacent to the Turkish border, the district center of Tal Abyad, located in northern Syria, was cleared of YPG/PKK terrorists on Sunday as part of Turkey’s Operation Peace Spring which aims to eliminate the PKK and its Syrian offshoot, the PYD/YPG, east of the Euphrates River.The operation was launched on Oct. 9 in order to secure Turkey’s borders, aid the safe return of Syrian refugees, and ensure Syria’s territorial integrity.Some of the civilians who had temporarily fled their homes for their safety found their houses burned after returning to Tal Abyad.Anadolu Agency correspondents in Tal Abyad recorded the images of the homes torched by YPG/PKK. Photos show that a large number of houses have become uninhabitable with everything indoors turned to ashes.A mother from Tal Abyad, whose house was set on fire by terrorists, told Anadolu Agency: “I am an old woman. I have three daughters. We have nobody [to take care of us] but Allah.””We had left our home and came back to find it like this. May Allah help us. We have nothing to sleep on. The clothes are burned. They burned everything,” she said.Her daughter also said: “The PKK burnt out our home. We left the district and when we came back we found our home burnt. We have nothing to sit on in our house. We borrowed stuff from our neighbors.”Ensuring security in Ras al-AynMeanwhile, Turkish troops carrying out the operation with the support of the Syrian National Army (SNA) continue their sweep and clear activities to ensure security in Ras Al-Ayn and its surroundings as soon as possible.Turkish forces detected tunnels where YPG/PKK terrorists took shelter during the clashes in Ras Al-Ayn. The troops are clearing tunnels of explosives as well as searching residential areas to liberate them from terror.The network tunnels of YPG/PKK were previously dug in various points accessed through the houses.Similar operations are ongoing successfully to clear landmines in the region.On Monday, Ras al-Ayn and Tal Abyad were announced “under control” by Turkey’s Defense Minister Hulusi Akar.In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK — listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and the European Union — has been responsible for deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.
Turkey neutralizes 702 terrorists in northern Syria
The number of YPG/PKK terrorists neutralized in northern Syria amid Turkey’s ongoing counter-terror operation climbed to 702, said country’s National Defense Ministry in a statement.Turkish authorities often use the word “neutralized” to imply the terrorists in question surrendered or were killed or captured.Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring in northern Syria on Oct. 9 in order to secure Turkey’s borders, aid the safe return of Syrian refugees, and ensure Syria’s territorial integrity.Ankara wants to clear the region east of the Euphrates River of the terrorist PKK and its Syrian offshoot, the YPG.In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK — listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and the European Union — has been responsible for deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.
UN chief Guterres welcomes pause to Syria operation
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the pause in Turkey’s Operation Peace Spring, the international body said hours after the announcement Thursday.”The Secretary-General welcomes any effort to de-escalate the situation and protect civilians, in line with the UN Charter and international humanitarian law,” the UN said in a statement. “The Secretary-General recognizes that there is still a long way to go for an effective solution to the crisis in Syria.”Following meetings between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and their delegations in Ankara, the two sides reached a 13-article agreement on northeast Syria.Turkey and the U.S. “reaffirmed the relationship as fellow members of NATO”, and “the U.S. side understands Turkey’s security concerns on its southern border,” it said.The two sides agreed the conditions, particularly in the northeast Syria, necessitate closer coordination on the basis of common interests.With an understanding of “one for all and all for one,” they also remain committed to protecting NATO territories and NATO populations against all threats.Turkey and the U.S. also reiterated “their pledge to uphold human life, human rights, and the protection of religious and ethnic communities.”Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring in northern Syria on Oct. 9 in order to secure Turkey’s borders, aid the safe return of Syrian refugees, and ensure Syria’s territorial integrity.Ankara wants to clear the region east of the Euphrates River of the terrorist PKK and its Syrian offshoot, the YPG.In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK — listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and the European Union — has been responsible for deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.’Turkish op in Syria to be paused for YPG’s withdrawal from safe zone’Pause of Turkey’s op in Syria not ceasefire: Turkish FM
‘Turkish op in Syria to be paused for YPG’s withdrawal from safe zone’
Turkey will pause its anti-terror operation in northern Syria to allow the withdrawal of YPG from the planned safe zone, said a joint Turkish-U.S. statement on Thursday.”The safe zone will be primarily enforced by the Turkish Armed Forces and the two sides will increase their cooperation in all dimensions of its implementation,” said the statement.”The Turkish side will pause Operation Peace Spring in order to allow the withdrawal of YPG from the safe zone within 120 hours. Operation Peace Spring will be halted upon completion of this withdrawal,” it stressed.Turkey and the U.S. also agreed that the conditions on the ground, northeast Syria in particular, necessitate closer coordination on the basis of common interests.”The two sides agreed on the continued importance and functionality of a safe zone in order to address the national security concerns of Turkey, to include the re-collection of YPG heavy weapons and the disablement of their fortifications and all other fighting positions,” it added.The statement also highlighted that when the Operation Peace Spring — Turkey’s anti-terror operation in northern Syria — is halted, the U.S. current sanctions will be lifted.Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring in northern Syria on Oct. 9 in order to secure Turkey’s borders, aid the safe return of Syrian refugees, and ensure Syria’s territorial integrity.Ankara wants to clear the region east of the Euphrates River of the terrorist PKK and its Syrian offshoot, the YPG.In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK — listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and the European Union — has been responsible for deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.