TURKISH ARMY CLASHES WITH SYRIAN ARMY AND KURDISH FIGHTERS SOUTH OF AFRIN

By the Turkish Army, click to see the full-size image

On March 21, the Turkish Army and its proxies from the Free Syrian Army (FSA) captured the historical Christian town of Barad and the village of Kimar south of the city of Afrin, according to sources linked to the FSA.

The sources said that the Turkish Army artillery had backed the attack on the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) in Barad and had shelled several positions of the SAA and the YPG in the town and south of it. However, the Turkish Air Force (TAF) was not involved in the offensive.

In a related development, local residents of the Afrin area handed over 21 fighters of the YPG to the Turkish Army, according to a report of the Turkish Anadolu Agency. Since capturing Afrin city on March 18, the Turkish Army and its proxies have been conducting security operations in the newly captured area in order to eliminate any remaining YPG fighters.

By the Turkish Army, click to see the full-size image

The Kurdish self-administration in the Afrin area warned on March 18 that its forces will shift its strategy against the Turkish Army and the FSA from a direct confrontation to a guerrilla warfare.

The Turkish Army will likely announce the end of its operation in the southern part of the Afrin area soon, as its forces are getting closer and closer to the main positions of the SAA, near the city of Aleppo.

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