Injured Syrian family reunites with relatives in Afrin

By Cem Genco

AFRIN, Syria (AA) – A Syrian family of four injured in a YPG/PKK terrorist attack near Jinderes town in Syria’s Afrin were brought back to their village in the region following their medical treatment at a hospital in Turkey.

In the YPG/PKK attack, a pick-up truck of the members of the Syrian family -- three of them children -- were targeted by anti-tank guns near Jinderes town in Afrin as they were headed home in the recently liberated village of Deir Ballut.

After the attack, Meryem (3), Esra (7) and Zeynep (13) with their mother Hatice (30), were rushed to a hospital in Turkey’s border province of Hatay.

"We thank Turkish soldiers and Turkey so much," Esra told Anadolu Agency.

Omer Ahmet Derkus, a local in the same village, also praised Turkish soldiers for their efforts to rescue them from the terrorists.

“We've been persecuted [by the YPG/PKK terrorists]. Because of those terrorists, we were not safe on our own soil," Derkus said.

"We feel relieved after Turkish soldiers cleared our region from the terrorists. We are grateful to Turkish soldiers. Thank God, we could now walk around on our soil without fear."

Since the launch of Operation Olive Branch on Jan. 20, the Turkish military and the Free Syrian Army have liberated 157 locations, including five town centers, 122 villages, 30 strategic areas, and one YPG/PKK base.

According to the Turkish General Staff, the operation, which was launched to clear YPG/PKK-Daesh terrorists from Afrin, aims to establish security and stability along Turkey’s borders and the region as well as 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.