Turkish forces renovate school in northern Syria

By Muhammed Ali Toruntay

ANKARA (AA) – The Turkish army turned a school heavily damaged by the terrorist group YPG/PKK back into an education center, Turkey’s National Defense Ministry said on Monday.

“Our heroic soldiers not only bring peace, security, roads, water, and electricity with other institutions of our government but also build a future for Syrian children by turning the schools that PKK/YPG terrorists used as headquarters into education centers once again,” the ministry said on Twitter, posting a short video of the project.

Posted in both English and Turkish, the video shows the inside and outside of the newly renovated Nukra School in Ras al-Ayn, Syria.

“The Turkish Armed Forces, National Defense Ministry, and Sanliurfa Governorate worked hand in hand with our Syrian brothers bringing the school up to educational standards,” said the video.

A kindergarten was also added to the school, the video showed.

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

Since then, Turkey reached agreements with both the U.S. and Russia to force the terrorist YPG/PKK to withdraw from the planned terror-free zone.

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 its Syrian offshoot.