The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

The clashes continue in Afrin area in conjunction with the flight of Turkish warplanes over the area

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored the continuation of clashes between the Turkish Forces and the rebel and Islamic factions against Syria Democratic Forces and YPG, in areas in the countryside of Jendires in the southwestern countryside of Afrin, coincided with the continued Turkish shelling amid the flight of Turkish warplanes over Afrin area, where “Olive Branch” Operation Forces seek to advance and reach Jendires town in order to control it, after they managed to take control of one town and 27 villages with a percentage of 8% of the total villages of Afrin, as they controlled Bulbula town and 24 villages, they are: ((Jabal Barsaya – Qastal Jandu and Dikmdash in Sharra Township in the north-eastern countryside of Afrin, and the villages of Shenkali, Bekah, Alikar, Za’rah, Balyeh, Qarnah, Bulbula and Abudan in Bulbula Township in the northern countryside of Afrin, Edmanli, Ali Beska and Balelka in Raju Township in the south-western countryside of Afrin, Kanye, Khalilah, Amra, Mamlu Oshagli in Sheikh Hadid Township in the west of Afrin, the villages of Hamam, Mala Khalil, Dayr Ballut, Haj Iskender, Muhammadiyah and Ashka in Jendires Township in the south-western countryside of Afrin, and Diwa Foqani, Jaqla, Kharab Smaq)).

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored that the number of human losses in Afrin area, has increased with the continuation of Operation “Olive Branch” which Turkey announced about, on the 20th of January 2018, where the death of more citizens and extracting the dead bodies of others from the rubble of the destruction left by the Turkish shelling, resulted in increasing the death toll of the Syrian citizens of the Kurds, Arabs and Armenians, to 94 persons at least including 21 children and 16 citizen women, who were killed by the Turkish warplanes as well as the Turkish forces by their shells, missiles and snipers, in addition to 4 citizens including a man, his son and a child girl who were killed by shelling by the SDF on areas in the northern countryside of Aleppo, and tens others were injured with varying severity, while others were lost during the shelling, some of whom remained under the rubble of the destruction caused by the Turkish shelling on Afrin area.

Also the ongoing clashes, the aerial and artillery shelling, the ambushes and the targeting raised the death toll in the ranks of the both parties since the 20th of January 2018, where it rose to 228, the number of the members of the forces of the “Olive Branch” Operation who were killed in these clashes, they are 37 casualties of the Turkish forces, and 194 fighters of the Syrian rebel and Islamic opposition factions, while it has increased to 189, the number of the fighters of the YPG and the Self-Defense forces who were killed in these military operations, the aerial and artillery shelling and the targeting, while tens of members of the both parties were injured with varying severity, which may raise the death toll even more.