ANKARA, Turkey – Eleven Turkish soldiers have been killed as part of the Turkish operation against the Kurdish canton of Afrin on Saturday, marking the deadliest day for the Turkish military since the offensive began three weeks ago to drive out the Kurdish force, YPG, from the Turkish-Syrian border.
The Turkish military stated that nine soldiers were killed on Saturday and that another eleven injured as part of Operation Olive Branch.
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim earlier in the day had confirmed the deaths of two Turkish soldiers when a Turkish helicopter crashed.
The Kurdish force, in control of Afrin, said that they shot down the helicopter in Rajo district, northwest of Afrin city.
Last Saturday, the Turkish military stated they lost seven soldiers in one day including five in an attack on a Turkish tank by the Kurdish force.
Ankara has admitted the deaths of at least 25 Turkish soldiers as of Saturday.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported 70 civilian deaths. Local Afrin health officials say the number of civilians killed is more than double that, 160. Turkey denies targeting civilians.
The Observatory estimates 135 Kurdish YPG fighters and civil defense members have been killed, and 158 among the Olive Branch side, including 22 Turkish soldiers as of Saturday morning.
Former PYD leader: US-led coalition should stand with Afrin
Salih Muslim, former co-chair of the ruling Democratic Union Party (PYD) of Rojava, told Euronews on Friday that Ankara’s operation in Afrin is a “kind of revenge” for Kurdish victories over ISIS in northern Syria. He claimed the Turkish government is “no different” from ISIS.
He said that the US-led coalition, an ally of the YPG and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the war against ISIS, “ethically they should stand beside us.”
The United States has shown support for their Kurdish allies east of Afrin, in Manbij, but has stated that they have no forces in Afrin and no involvement in the conflict there. US and European leaders have urged Turkey to limit its operation, but expressed understanding about Turkey’s security concerns.
Turkey considers the ruling Kurdish groups in northern Syria extensions of the PKK, a named terror organization, and is irate at continued US support for the Kurdish forces.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, speaking in Istanbul on Saturday, accused the international community of “dualism” by staying silent about the deaths of civilians during the SDF-coalition operation against ISIS in Raqqa, but when it comes to Turkey the international community “kept advising us on how to conduct the operation [Olive Branch] in addition to their black propaganda.”
Relations with Turkey will be one of the challenges awaiting US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson as he begins a five-country Middle East tour this weekend.
“Look it’s difficult,” a State Department official told reporters of relations between Washington and Ankara. “The rhetoric is hot. The Turks are angry, and this is a difficult time to do business but it’s our belief that there are still some very fundamental underlying shared interests.”
Turkish Prime Minister, addressing a provincial congress of his AK party on Saturday, vowed Operation Olive Branch will continue until no “terrorists” are left in the region, despite efforts to “blacken” the campaign.
He denied reports that Turkey’s Syrian allies were harming civilians. “Turkey is working hard not to harm any civilian,” he stated.
