YPG/PKK rocket attacks kill 3 civilians, wound 10 in northern Syria

By Erdal Turkoglu

ANKARA (AA) – Three civilians were killed and 10 others injured as the YPG/PKK terror group fired multiple rockets at the northern Syrian city of Afrin on Friday evening.

Six rockets struck Afrin at around 6 p.m. (1500GMT), according to a statement by the governor’s office of Turkey’s southern Hatay province that borders Syria.

The Hatay Governor's Office has started an investigation along with Syrian authorities, the statement said.

Afrin has been largely cleared of YPG/PKK terrorists since Turkey launched its anti-terror Operation Olive Branch in 2018, but the terror group still carries out sporadic attacks in the region.

Since 2016, Turkey has launched a trio of successful anti-terror operations across its border in northern Syria to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and to enable the peaceful settlement of residents: Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018), and Peace Spring (2019).

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terror organization by Turkey, the US, and the EU – has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children and infants. The YPG is the PKK’s Syrian offshoot.​​​​​​​

*Writing by Gozde Bayar