Turkish aid agency opens mobile clinic in north Syria

By Burak Karacaoglu

TAL ABYAD, Syria (AA) - The Turkish Red Crescent began operating a mobile clinic Thursday in northern Syria following Turkey's counter-terrorism offensive dubbed ‘Operation Peace Spring’.

In a statement, the organization -- known locally as Kizilay -- said the clinic was launched in Tal Abyad district, which has been cleared of terrorists.

The clinic also has internal disease, radiology, pediatrics and laboratory units to provide health services to civilians, it said.

It will serve around 500 people daily with 16 specialist physicians, it added.

The only hospital in the region, which was damaged by terrorists, is reportedly under repair.

Members of the YPG/PKK terror group stole and partially burned the hospital’s equipment while fleeing from the Turkish military and the Syrian National Army (SNA) during Operation Peace Spring in northeastern Syria.

Tal Abyad’s city center was cleared of YPG/PKK terrorists on Oct.13 during Turkey's ongoing military operation.

On Oct. 9, Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring to eliminate 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 Tuesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin held a meeting in Russia's Black Sea resort town of Sochi.

Ankara and Moscow reached a deal under which YPG/PKK terrorists will pull back 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) south of Turkey’s border with northern Syria within 150 hours and security forces from Turkey and Russia will conduct joint patrols there.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union -- has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children and infants. The YPG is the Syrian offshoot of the PKK.