Turkey destroys wheel loader blocking Afrin civilians

By Sinan Uslu

ANKARA (AA) – The Turkish Armed Forces destroyed a wheel loader that YPG/PKK terrorists placed on a road to prevent civilians from trying to leave Afrin, northwestern Syria.

The Turkish General Staff on Thursday in a tweet shared a footage of the wheel loader being hit.

Smoke can be seen rising from the destroyed wheel loader.

On Jan. 20, Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch to clear YPG/PKK and Daesh terrorists from Afrin.

According to the Turkish General Staff, the operation aims to establish security and stability along Turkey’s borders and the region as well as to protect Syrians from terrorist oppression and cruelty.

The operation is being carried out under the framework of Turkey's rights based on international law, UN Security Council resolutions, its self-defense rights under the UN charter, and respect for Syria's territorial integrity, it said.

The military also said only terror targets are being destroyed and that "utmost care" is being taken to avoid harming civilians.