Turkey: Gov't to brief lawmakers on Syria military op

By Muhammet Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA (AA) - The government is set to inform lawmakers at the Turkish parliament next week about a military operation in northwestern Syria, a senior official from Turkey's ruling party, said Tuesday.

"On Tuesday, when the parliament is opened, a Cabinet minister on behalf of the government will brief our parliament on Operation Olive Branch," Bulent Turan, the Justice and Development (AK) Party's parliamentary deputy group chairman, told reporters in the parliament.

Turkey on Saturday launched Operation Olive Branch to remove the PYD/PKK and Daesh terrorists from Afrin to establish security and stability along Turkey’s borders.

The Turkish military said it carried out the operation under the framework of Turkey’s rights based on international law and it was respectful of Syria's territorial integrity.

The military also said the "utmost diligence" was shown to avoid collateral damage to the civilian population in the area.

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