Thousands of Syrians Leave Afrin for Gov't-Controlled Areas Amid Turkish Advance
Tens of thousands of Syrian civilians are leaving the northern Kurdish-controlled city of Afrin as the Turkish army is tightening its grip on the city, Sputnik correspondent reported Friday, citing witnesses.
The correspondent said that the people leaving Afrin, speak about terrible life in the city because of the constant bombing, which destroyed almost the entire settlement, including the hospital. The city is under blockade with only one road linking it with the areas controlled by the Syrian army, remains open.
Turkey is reportedly dropping leaflets for Afrin residents, calling them to stop supporting Kurds, who “use civilians as a human shield” and to leave territories, “occupied by Kurdish terrorists.”
Moreover, the leaflets reportedly say that only Turkey’s aim is to free the people of Afrin from a so-called Kurdish occupation. Turkey guarantees freedom and security to all citizens as well as those, who have been involuntary mobilized.
The day before, Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said Turkish forces controlled over 70 percent of Afrin’s territory.
Sputnik
The correspondent said that the people leaving Afrin, speak about terrible life in the city because of the constant bombing, which destroyed almost the entire settlement, including the hospital. The city is under blockade with only one road linking it with the areas controlled by the Syrian army, remains open.
Turkey is reportedly dropping leaflets for Afrin residents, calling them to stop supporting Kurds, who “use civilians as a human shield” and to leave territories, “occupied by Kurdish terrorists.”
Moreover, the leaflets reportedly say that only Turkey’s aim is to free the people of Afrin from a so-called Kurdish occupation. Turkey guarantees freedom and security to all citizens as well as those, who have been involuntary mobilized.
The day before, Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said Turkish forces controlled over 70 percent of Afrin’s territory.
Sputnik