Turkey’s Olive Branch Operation continues in Syria’s Afrin

HATAY, TURKEY - FEBRUARY 16: Turkish Armed Forces convoy arrives in Turkey's southern border province of Hatay as part of the ongoing Operation Olive Branch in Syria's Afrin on February 16, 2018.Turkish Armed Forces continued to deploy military vehicles at the border close to the operation area.Turkey on Jan 20. launched Operation Olive Branch to remove PYD/PKK and Daesh terrorists from Afrin. According to the Turkish General Staff, the operation aims to establish security and stability along Turkey’s borders and the region as well as to protect Syrians from oppression and cruelty of terrorists. 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 avoiding harm to 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. (Footage by Hilmi Tunahan Karakaya/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)