Turkey, FSA liberate 3 more villages in NW Syria

AFRIN, SYRIA - MARCH 02: The Turkish Armed Forces and Free Syrian Army (FSA) on March 02, 2018 liberated three more villages from YPG/PKK-Daesh terrorists and reached Rajo's town center during Operation Olive Branch in Syria’s northwestern Afrin region. The villages of Maskanli, Mamali and Atamanli in Rajo district, located northwest of Afrin, and a small hill have been cleared of the terrorists, Anadolu Agency correspondents on the field reported.After the last three villages were liberated, the joint forces reached to the entrance of Rajo's town center.Since Feb. 26, a crescent-shaped corridor, stretching along northwestern Idlib province and Aleppo province’s Azaz district, has cut terrorists’ connection with Turkey’s border.Since the launch of the operation on Jan. 20, Turkish military and the FSA liberated 120 locations including one center of a district, 91 villages, 21 strategic mountains and hills and one YPG/PKK base.On Jan. 20, Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch to clear YPG/PKK-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 terrorist oppression and cruelty.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 also said only terror targets are being destroyed and that "utmost care" is being taken to avoid harming civilians. (Footage by Beha el Halebi/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)