Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan sent a message to Turkish soldiers border through his phone conversation with Defense Minister Hulusi Akar who was visiting military brigades stationed on the border with Syria.
“You wrote history in Afrin, and God willing, this determination will continue in the upcoming process,” Erdoğan said during the call.
Turkish Chief of General Staff Yasar Guler, Land Forces Commander Umit Dundar, Air Forces Commander Hasan Kucukakyuz and Naval Forces Commander Adnan Ozbal also accompanied Akar.
In the last two years, Turkey has successfully carried out two counter-terrorist operations in Syria -- Operations Euphrates Shield and Olive Branch -- to eradicate the presence of YPG/PKK and Daesh terrorists near Turkey’s borders, and a third one is expected, east of the Euphrates River.
In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of some 40,000 people, including women and children. The YPG is its Syrian branch.
