A spokesman for the “Kurdish People Protection Units” in the Syrian city of Afrin said Turkish air strikes killed 6 civilians and 3 fighters, Reuters reported.
The spokesman for the People’s Protection Units, Perusk Haska, said one of the fighters belongs to the People’s Protection Units, while the other two were from his PFLP-affiliated company. 13 civilians were injured.
Turkey opened a new front in Syria’s war on Saturday with air strikes against Afrin that raised the prospect of worsening relations between Ankara and NATO, Washington’s ally, according to Reuters.
On the other hand, Turkish Prime Minister Ben Ali Yildirim said Saturday that the Turkish air raids on the positions of the Kurdish factions in Afrin, northwest Syria, achieved most of their objectives, adding that the ground operation will begin tomorrow, Sunday, according to developments in the situation.
“A large percentage of the targets were destroyed by air raids on the Syrian town of Afrin,” Yildirim told a news conference at the Chankaya Palace in Ankara. “Our ground forces will carry out operations according to developments tomorrow.”
Yildirim stressed that “Turkey does not target the Kurds in Afrin as it is called,” adding “the goal of the operation to save our brothers in Afrin from the injustice of terrorism,” as he says.