ANKARA: The Turkish Army, in cooperation with the Free Syrian Army (FSA), has cut off Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) forces from the borders near Syria in Ankara's ongoing military operation against the troops.
According to Anadolu news agency, the Turkish Army personnel and the FSA troops loyal to Ankara have established control over two settlements in Afrin, forming a crescent around the city and separating the Turkish territory and the area controlled by the Kurdish militias.
Turkey on January 20 announced the beginning of the operation Olive Branch against the Kurdish forces in Syria's northwestern Afrin district.
The operation has been conducted jointly with the FSA opposition forces. Ankara considers the YPG to be linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a terrorist organisation in Turkey.