UPDATE - Turkey, FSA liberate 5 more villages, 3 hills in Afrin

By Said Ibicioglu, Esref Musa and Burak Karacaoglu

AFRIN/ISTANBUL (AA) - The Turkish military and Free Syrian Army (FSA) on Friday liberated five more villages and three strategic hills in Afrin, northwestern Syria from the control of YPG/PKK terrorists.

According to Anadolu Agency correspondents on the ground, the villages of Miske Fawkani, Miske Tahtani, Shaykh Bilal, Kurdane, and Kucuk Meydan and three strategic hills were cleared of terrorists during the ongoing Operation Olive Branch.

Turkish troops and FSA forces have also reached the outskirts of the city of Afrin.

Since the launch of the operation, the Turkish military and FSA have liberated 257 locations, including 213 villages and 44 strategic mountains and hills.

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

According to the Turkish General Staff, the operation aims to establish security and stability along Turkey’s borders and the region as well as 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 the "utmost care" is being taken to not harm civilians.