Turkey's ambassador to UK briefs media on Afrin op

LONDON (AA) - Turkey aims to protect its own borders and neutralize terrorist elements in Syria’s northern Afrin region with the Operation Olive Branch, Turkey’s ambassador in London said on Thursday.

Abdurrahman Bilgic met a group of British journalists in a news briefing held at the embassy residence and underlined that the operation is being carried out within the scope of the international law.

Bilgic said Turkey has informed international organizations, including NATO and the UN, as well as its neighbors about the operation.

He said only the terrorist elements are being targeted in the operation and all measures have been taken to prevent any harm to civilians.

The operation will continue until all terrorist elements are cleared from the region, Bilgic told the journalists.

He stressed Turkey “will not tolerate” any terrorist organizations to find a safe harbor in the region, which is significant for Turkey’s national security.

Bilgic also said the protests held by PYD/PKK members across Europe, which cause violent incidents from time to time, proved the group’s ties with PKK terror group in Turkey.

The embassy also distributed to the journalists an informative booklet on the “disinformation campaign” launched by the PYD/PKK terrorist organization. The booklet is prepared by the Turkish Prime Ministry’s Directorate General of Press and Information.