Turkey marks 3rd anniversary of anti-terror op in Syria

By Aykut Karadag

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey's National Defense Ministry on Wednesday marked the third anniversary of the country's anti-terror operation across its southern border with northern Syria.

Hailing the martyrs and veterans of the 2018 Operation Olive Branch carried out to "destroy the terror corridor in the country's south," the ministry also shared special video footage on Twitter of the operation.

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 a peaceful settlement of residents: Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018), and Peace Spring (2019).

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

*Writing by Gozde Bayar