Turkey to repair schools damaged by YPG/PKK in N.Syria

By Sefa Sahin

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey will repair the schools damaged by the YPG/PKK terror group in northern Syria, the country’s Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.

"Our heroic soldiers, together with our government institutions, continue their coordinated efforts in evaluating and identifying the needed repairs and restoration works for local schools destroyed by PKK/YPG terrorists in the Operation Peace Spring area," the ministry said on Twitter.

The ministry also shared photos of a damaged school.

Turkey on Oct. 9 launched Operation Peace Spring to eliminate YPG/PKK terrorists from northern Syria east of the Euphrates River in order to secure Turkey's borders, aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees, and ensure Syria's territorial integrity.

On Oct. 17, the U.S. and Turkey came to an agreement to pause the operation to allow the withdrawal of terrorist YPG/PKK forces from the planned safe zone, where Ankara wants to repatriate millions of Syrian refugees it is currently hosting.

On Oct. 22, Turkey reached a separate deal with Russia to force YPG/PKK terrorists to withdraw from the planned terror-free zone.

Turkey has complained that despite the deal, the terrorists have remained and continue to carry out attacks.

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 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.

* Writing by Nilay Kar Onum