Turkish Forces, Free Syrian Army Conducting Joint Operation In Syria's Afrin - Reports

Turkish special forces, with the support of the Free Syrian Army (FSA), are conducting an operation in Syria's Afrin against militant groups that separated from FSA former units, local media reported Monday.

ANKARA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th November, 2018) Turkish special forces, with the support of the Free Syrian Army (FSA), are conducting an operation in Syria's Afrin against militant groups that separated from FSA former units, local media reported Monday.

The operation was launched after several ex-FSA groups started looting and robbing local residents, according to the Hurriyet newspaper. Many militants have already been neutralized.

The operation will continue until all former FSA militants are either neutralized or surrender to the security forces, Hurriyet reported. A curfew was also declared in the region.

On January 20, Turkey and the Free Syrian Army opposition forces launched Operation Olive Branch in Afrin. The goal of the operation was to "clear" Turkey's Syrian border of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) and the Democratic Union Party (PYD), which Turkey believes to be linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Both the YPG and PKK are considered terrorist organizations by Ankara. In late March, Ankara announced that the district was under complete Turkish control.

Damascus has condemned Ankara's military operation in the region, saying it violates Syrian sovereignty.