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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — A number of demonstrators held olive branches in front of the UN compound in Erbil on Tuesday protesting the Turkish army’s assault on the Kurdish city of Afrin, demanding the organization speak up and help stop it.
“Kurds are all one, we are all from Afrin,” decried one older man.
Another protester held a banner that read: ‘Afrin is the bride of Kurdistan’ said “we will not abandon Afrin to the occupiers.’
“The Afrin situation is terrible,” a protester told Rudaw, whose family members remain in Afrin city.
The Turkish military and its so-called Free Syrian Army (FSA) proxies began an assault against Afrin, a governorate in Syria that is claimed and controlled as the Kurdish canton of Rojava.
Rami Abdurrahman, the director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), stated on Tuesday that Afrin has not been a "picnic" by Turkish troops and its proxies have been "pushed to fight" the Kurdish units.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Tuesday announced the death of a second Turkish soldier killed in Afrin.
SOHR stated late Monday it has documented the deaths of 24 civilians (six children and a woman) in Afrin, since Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch on Saturday.
Ankara codenamed its operation ‘Olive Branch.’
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim told 24TV journalists at a media roundtable on Sunday that the operation was so-called because they are going raise an olive tree for the innocent people of Afrin.
Gulbaba, also called Martavan, is known for its production of grapes and olives. It is a town in the Province of Kilis, Turkey, which borders Afrin.
To "extend an olive branch" commonly means to offer of peace or reconciliation and is used often in diplomacy.
UN compounds are often sites for protestors in the Kurdistan Region and across the world.
There was no immediate statement from the UN’s office in Iraq.
The UN Security Council discussed Turkey's offensive and the continuing humanitarian crisis in Syria on Monday but did not condemn or demand an end to the offensive and the Council took no position.
“Kurds are all one, we are all from Afrin,” decried one older man.
Another protester held a banner that read: ‘Afrin is the bride of Kurdistan’ said “we will not abandon Afrin to the occupiers.’
“The Afrin situation is terrible,” a protester told Rudaw, whose family members remain in Afrin city.
The Turkish military and its so-called Free Syrian Army (FSA) proxies began an assault against Afrin, a governorate in Syria that is claimed and controlled as the Kurdish canton of Rojava.
Rami Abdurrahman, the director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), stated on Tuesday that Afrin has not been a "picnic" by Turkish troops and its proxies have been "pushed to fight" the Kurdish units.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Tuesday announced the death of a second Turkish soldier killed in Afrin.
SOHR stated late Monday it has documented the deaths of 24 civilians (six children and a woman) in Afrin, since Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch on Saturday.
Ankara codenamed its operation ‘Olive Branch.’
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim told 24TV journalists at a media roundtable on Sunday that the operation was so-called because they are going raise an olive tree for the innocent people of Afrin.
Gulbaba, also called Martavan, is known for its production of grapes and olives. It is a town in the Province of Kilis, Turkey, which borders Afrin.
To "extend an olive branch" commonly means to offer of peace or reconciliation and is used often in diplomacy.
UN compounds are often sites for protestors in the Kurdistan Region and across the world.
There was no immediate statement from the UN’s office in Iraq.
The UN Security Council discussed Turkey's offensive and the continuing humanitarian crisis in Syria on Monday but did not condemn or demand an end to the offensive and the Council took no position.
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