OVERVIEW OF BATTLE FOR AFRIN ON MARCH 10, 2018

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On March 10, the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) and the Free Syrian Army captured the villages of Inab, Kafr Rum, Kurt Qulaq, Al-Tiflah and Huran from the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) in the Syrian area of Afrin. With advances made by the TAF and the FSA on March 9, Turkish forces deployed within about 4km northeast of the YPG-held city of Afrin – the main YPG stronghold in the area.

As the frontline between Turkey-led forces and the YPG shortens, the Kurdish group has less and less opportunities to maneuver conducting counter-attacks and avoiding Turkish artillery and air strikes. The YPG’s lack of heavy weapons become more and more crticial. It’s interesting to note that pro-YPG sources also understand this and use this fact in own propaganda. Pro-YPG media outlets and activists claim that the TAF and the FSA can nothing without support from the air. However, these reports cannot deny a progress by Turkey-led forces.

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Meanwhile, the FSA released an intersting video showing that a group of women allegedly participating in Ankara’s Operation Olive Branch. The group is allegedly part of the FSA’s “3rd Division”.

On March 10, the TAF’s general staff released a statement claiming that 3,195 “terrorists” had been neutralized since the start of the military opeartion in Afrin on January 20.

Meanwile, YPG-alinged sources claim “numerous” civilain casualties as a result of the Turkish military operation. Different sources provide different numbers. However, they are more or less agree that about 200 people have been killed and about 500 others have been injured since the start of the fighting.

Turkish warpanes carry out airstrikes on targets in the vicinity of the city of Afrin:

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