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The Turkish army on Tuesday completed its 12th round of patrols in the northern Syrian city of Manbij as part of a deal with the U.S. to rid the area of the terror group YPG/PKK.
In a message posted on its official Twitter account, the Turkish General Staff said both countries' forces conducted separate coordinated patrols in the region between areas liberated by Turkey's Operation Euphrates Shield and Manbij.
The first patrols by Turkish and U.S. troops in the region began on June 18.
The Manbij deal between Turkey and the U.S. focuses on the withdrawal of the PKK-affiliated YPG terror group from the city in order to stabilize the region.
In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK has taken some 40,000 lives, including many women and children. The YPG/PKK is its Syrian branch.
Should the Manbij model prove a success, Turkey will push for a similar arrangement in eastern Syria.
Turkey has said the presence of terror forces near its border constitutes a threat and has launched military operations and other efforts to rid the region of terrorists.
Turkish military on Sunday completed its 11th round of patrolling in the northern Syrian city of Manbij as part of a deal with the U.S. to rid the area of the terror group YPG/PKK.In a message posted on its official Twitter account, the Turkish General Staff said both countries' forces conducted separate coordinated patrols in the area between the Operation Euphrates Shield region and Manbij.The first patrols by Turkish and U.S. troops in the region began on June 18.People of Manbij long for Turkey's interventionThe Manbij deal between Turkey and the U.S. focuses on the withdrawal of the PKK-affiliated YPG terror group from the city in order to stabilize the region.In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK has taken some 40,000 lives, including those of women and children. The YPG/PKK is its Syrian branch.Should the Manbij model prove to be a success, Turkey will push for a similar arrangement in eastern Syria.Turkey has said the presence of terror forces near its border constitute a threat and has launched military operations and other efforts to rid the region of terrorists.
Turkish army conducts 11th round of patrols in Manbij
Residents in the northern Syrian city of Manbij have told Anadolu Agency they want Turkish troops to clear their land of YPG/PKK terrorists.The Turkish military recently completed its 10th round of patrolling in the city.Displaced by YPG/PKK terrorist group in Syria's north, people of Manbij said they long for the day to return to their homes after Turkish troops took control of the strategic district.PKK conducts series of attacks as US-Turkey deal in Manbij comes into forceSpeaking to Anadolu Agency, Um Abdullah, who fled to Turkey after the terror group invaded their lands in Manbij, said they left their homes after facing oppression by terrorists."They forcefully armed our children. This is our homeland. The so-called government is not ours," Um Abdullah said.She said Manbij will never be free as long as terrorists exist.Turkey neutralizes over 4,500 terrorists in Afrin: Army"They [the YPG/PKK] are harassing the people. They bother our children and daughters. We went to Syria from Turkey during Eid. We saw our family in Manbij but now we are returning back to Turkey."We want to freely live in Manbij and want Turkey to eliminate our homeland from terrorists," she said.Another local from Manbij Ahmed Muhammed Horan said: "Turkey has always been on our side. We were forced to flee to Turkey. We came to our lands during Eid to visit our families after a very long time.Turkey, US agree on clearing Syrian regions of PKK"We were able to see them with the help of Turkish soldiers and the Free Syrian Army. We long for Turkish army to eliminate terrorists from Manbij."Mahmoud Nour, a member of the national army linked to the Free Syrian Army, said people will be able to return to their own lands once the terrorists are eliminated from Manbij.Turkey and the U.S. have set a three-month timetable to complete tasks they agreed in a deal on Syria's Manbij, a Turkish government spokesman said in mid-June.The Manbij deal focuses on the withdrawal of the PKK-affiliated YPG terror group from the northern Syrian city and stability in the region.
People of Manbij long for Turkey's intervention
PKK terrorists killed one and wounded 20 more in an attack against civilians who wouldn’t speak out against Turkey in Syria's Qara Qozak located in Manbij where the tomb of Suleyman Shah, the grandfather of the Ottoman Empire’s founder, will be relocated.Simultaneously to the attack in Manbij, the PKK bombed the Jarabulus region by using two explosive-laden vehicles and also sent assassins to Syria’s Afrin region, which the Turkish Armed Forces had purged from terror elements.“There is a clear consensus [with the U.S.] on our roadmap that we will move on to other areas after Manbij [has been cleared of PKK/YPG terrorists], Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said on Friday.The roadmap was announced last month after a meeting in Washington between Çavuşoğlu and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.The deal focuses on the withdrawal of the PKK-affiliated YPG terror group from Manbij and stability in the region.Turkey neutralizes over 4,500 terrorists in Afrin: ArmyTurkey, US agree on clearing Syrian regions of PKKTurkish army conducts 10th round of patrols in ManbijPKK terrorists afraid of being purged from the regionEvaluating the attacks, Free Syrian Army Commander Zekeriya Karslı said, “The PKK is provoking civilians. They are using every possible tactic to prevent the relocation of the Suleyman Shah tomb,” he stated. When the tomb is relocated, the PKK terrorists’ transition to the east of the Euphrates will become further arduous. He also added that Turkey's Chief of Staff Hulusi Akar’s visit to the tomb was a clear message to the PKK. “The place of the tomb has strategic importance for the PKK. If the tomb is moved to Qara Qozak, the Manbij- Ayn al-Arab line will be under threat for them,” said Karslı. In 2015, the Turkish military relocated the tomb of Süleyman Shah, the grandfather of the Ottoman Empire’s founder, from Syria’s Qara Qozak region in Manbij to the Ashme village of Aleppo, which is located near Turkey’s border, to protect it from the threats posed by the PKK and Daesh terror groups.Security measures have been tightened in Manbij and Jarabulus following the attacks. The Turkish military on Friday completed its tenth round of patrolling in the northern Syrian city of Manbij as part of the deal with the U.S. to rid the area of the YPG/PKK terror group.The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the European Union and the United States. The PKK has been conducting armed violence in the southeastern part of Turkey since 1984. More than 40,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in the three-decade long conflict.
PKK conducts series of attacks as US-Turkey deal in Manbij comes into force
A total of 4,519 terrorists have been “neutralized” since the start of the Turkey-led Operation Olive Branch in Syria's Afrin region, according to the Turkish army on Friday.Turkish authorities often use the word "neutralized" in their statements to imply the terrorists in question either surrendered or were killed or captured.In a weekly statement, the Turkish General Staff said 54 Turkish soldiers have also been martyred while 236 others were injured during the operation in Afrin.Also, 247 mines and 1,301 improvised explosives were destroyed during the operation.Turkey, US agree on clearing Syrian regions of PKKTurkey on Jan. 20 launched Operation Olive Branch to remove YPG/PKK and Daesh terrorists from Afrin. On March 18, Turkish troops and Free Syrian Army liberated the Afrin district center.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 the oppression and cruelty of terrorists.Separately, the Turkish army said it had neutralized 49 terrorists during anti-terror operations in Turkey and northern Iraq over the last week.The operations were conducted in the southeastern Kahramanmaras, Sirnak, Hakkari, Diyarbakir, Mardin and eastern Agri provinces, as well as in northern Iraq between June 29 and July 5, it added.Security forces neutralize 22 PKK terrorists in SE TurkeyDuring the anti-terror operations, 15 weapons including infantry rifles and flame throwers were seized; eight weapon emplacements and shelters were also destroyed.The statement also said four soldiers were injured within this period.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 death of some 40,000 people.Turkey arrests wanted PKK terrorist deported by NorwayThe PYD/YPG are Syrian branches of the terrorist PKK and the focus of Turkey's successful counter-terrorist Operation Olive Branch in Afrin, Syria, near the border with Turkey.The statement also said Turkish and the U.S. army had conducted 10 separate coordinated patrols in the area between the Operation Euphrates Shield region and Manbij since June 18, when the first patrols by Turkish and U.S. troops in the region began.A deal between Turkey and the U.S. has focused on the withdrawal of the PKK-affiliated YPG terror group from Manbij in order to stabilize the region.German intelligence calls PKK, PYD 'sister' groups
Turkey neutralizes over 4,500 terrorists in Afrin: Army