On March 14, three Turkish airstrikes hit a checkpoint belonging to Syrian government forces on road to the city of Afrin in northern Syria, Reuters reported citing an alleged commander of government forces.
According to the report, the airstrikes killed five members of pro-government forces, likely the National Defense Forces (NDF). The NDF is a state-backed militia consisting of locals and integrated into the Syrian Arab Army (SAA). According to other sources, 8 NDF members were killed.
In response, the SAA reportedly shelled the Turish-held village of Marea.
Over the past few days, the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) and the Free Syrian Army (FSA) have captured a number of villages east, and southwest of Afrin from the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG). Only one route linking Afrin and government-held area in the rest of Aleppo province has remained relatively open.
The villages of Qadi Rayhalah, Ayn Darah and Basute located close to this road are now the last YPG-held points preventing the TAF and the FSA from isolating the city.
A military situation in the area of March 13:
Click to see the full-size map
On March 14, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said that he hopes Afrin would be cleared by the TAF and the FSA from the YPG “by this evening.” He also noted that Turkey is contributing efforts to prevent civilian casualties.
“All kinds of care is being taken. Look, right now, first civilians are being taken out of Afrin in vehicles through a special corridor,” Erdogan said. “We will clear Afrin of terrorists [YPG], clear Manbij, and east of the Euphrates River to our border with northern Iraq, we will rid the terrorist from all of them the same way.”
He continued saying that the TAF and the FSA had captured about 1,300 km2 and neutralized almost 3,500 “terrorists” since the start of Operation Olive Branch on January 20.
However, later a source in Erdogan’s office noted that Erdogan’s statement had been received wrong.
“The ‘I hope Afrin will completely fall by tonight’ sentence in our president’s speech should be understood as ‘The circle of encirclement will be completed by tonight’,” the source said, according to Reuters.
Faylaq ash-Sham posted images on their twitter pages confirming they have entered the village of Al Ghazawiyah in Jandeeris district and now control R 62 traffic from this choke point. Once again this strategic position was abandoned by the Kurds without a fight. The images show clean streets, no rubble, undamaged buildings and no sign of munitions impact from air, artillery, mortar or direct fire weapons. In this area it has been a stroll in the park for the FaS, who now look more like a well trained. equipped, supplied, organized and led body of professional infantry- the days of ill-disciplined jihadi jokers are past us.Clearly the Turkish planners learnt from the tactical disasters of Op Euphrates Wrath at Al Bab and this time prepared well. The YPG and SDF have suffered a bad defeat, their only link from Basouta eastwards will be cut momentarily.
They do indeed look like a better army. They have not quite beaten the YPG in Afrin yet. YPG seems to be pulling back to set up final defenses of Afrin city. I expect there will be a bloody fight there. The YPG wont win in the end, but they are not beat yet. I also wouldn’t say that the FSA forces look “professional.” Watch videos of them compared to videos of Russian, US, Chinese, Swedish, etc professional forces and its not close. The FSA are fighting better but they aren’t professionals by any mean. They also have a massive advantage in air power, s the fight is not exactly fair, but such is war.
The FSA is composed of a bunch of mercenaries witout any believes non principles…they have been siding with the same Erdogan who used to buy ISIS petroleum and bring them from all over the world for annihilation of the Syrians resistance!
Go away. You have a biased opinion and are not neutral. We do not care how much you hate either side.
Abuqahba a fight will be ver long.I am sure that the same who brings you the this battlefield will leave you there while you will receive defeat after defeat until your annihilation.
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President Erdogan is genius and a true leader. Only Erdogan can clean the regine from pro Trump proxies.
I believe that Erdogan will also dismantle Israel and will wipe out all Israeli migrants the child killers from whole Palestine because nobody can face Erdogan.
I would take this to the bank
I wnat to see what happens when the ottomans and the gassers meet face to face…
The gassers??? You must be talking about USAtan and its merry band of head choppers!!!