Syrian Kurdish families pray for victory of op in Afrin

IZMIR, Turkey (AA) - Many Syrian Kurdish families fled to Turkey due to the civil war in their country, today they pray for the victory of Turkey's Operation Olive Branch in the northwestern Afrin region of Syria.

Syrians who fled the war and took refuge in Turkey live in the Zafertepe neighborhood in western Izmir province of Konak district, they told Anadolu Agency.

“We used to live in Afrin. We came to Turkey two years ago because PKK/YPG terrorist organizations forced two of my children to join the organization,” Huseyin I. said.

His relatives stayed in Afrin. He is not able to contact with them. He is dreaming of a peaceful Syria and wants to return one day, he added.

On Jan. 20, Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch to remove the PYD/PKK and Daesh terrorists from Afrin.

Zeynep D.,39, another Syrian refugee in western Izmir, said “we stayed with relatives for a while in Afrin. There, the PKK wanted my daughters. We said no. They threatened and scared us. We could not have security. I took my kids to Turkey.”

“I desire to see Afrin cleared from terrorist organizations,” she added.

Nistiman H., 28, another Syrian Kurdish migrant who has been in Turkey for a while said that “when the sound of the regime planes was heard, my daughter Rojin was afraid, hiding behind me. We have no safety.”

With the operation, hopefully, no terror group will remain in the region he said.

According to the Turkish General Staff, the operation aims to establish security and stability along the Turkish borders and the region as well as to protect the Syrian people from the oppression and cruelty of terrorists.

The operation is being carried out under the framework of Turkey’s rights based on international law, UN Security Council’s decisions, self-defense rights under the UN charter and respect for Syria's territorial integrity, it said.

Afrin has been a major hideout for the PYD/PKK since July 2012 when the Assad regime in Syria left the city to the terror group without putting up a fight.