Syrian Kurds withdraw from Afrin

Turkey's president said that allied FSA militants have taken "total" control of the town centre of Afrin, the target of a nearly two-month-old Turkish offensive
Agencies
Sunday, 18 March 2018 15:36

Turkish forces and their allies swept into the northwestern Syrian town of Afrin on Sunday, raising their flags in the town centre and declaring full control after an eight-week campaign to drive out Kurdish YPG forces.

Ankara said its forces and allied Free Syrian Army (FSA) terrorist group have seized full control of Afrin, the target of a two-month-old offensive. A spokesman for the FSA said they entered Afrin before dawn, meeting no resistance. 

Dozens of civilians were seen leaving the centre of the city, where explosions sounded as demining operations were carried out. There were no signs of further clashes between pro-Turkish forces and the People's Protection Units (YPG), a Kurdish militant group that had been in control of the city before Sunday.

A war monitor, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said pockets of YPG fighters were defying orders to withdraw, but Turkish forces were in control.

Turkish AKP government launched its campaign eight weeks ago and threatened to extend the offensive to another Kurdish-controlled region further east where U.S. forces are stationed alongside the YPG.

"Afrin city centre is under control as of 8:30 this morning," Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan told a rally commemorating the World War One Gallipoli campaign, adding that Turkish and FSA flags had been raised in the town centre.

"Most of the terrorists have already fled with tails between their legs. Our special forces and members of the Free Syrian Army are cleaning the remains and the traps they left behind," Erdogan said. "In the centre of Afrin, symbols of trust and stability are waving instead of rags of terrorists."

Salih Muslim, a senior official living in Europe, tweeted Sunday that the withdrawal from Afrin doesn't mean his group has given up, saying "the struggle will continue and the Kurdish people will keep defending themselves."