The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

The “Olive Branch” Operation completes its first week in Afrin with 38 civilian casualties and about 120 fighters and soldiers who were killed during the aerial and ground shelling and the violent fighting

The “Olive Branch” Operation completes today Friday the 26th of January 2018, its first week since it was announced by the Turkish forces, against Afrin area which is controlled by the YPG, and located in the north-western section of Aleppo, with hundreds of human losses, killing more citizens, and more human losses in the ranks of the conflicted powers on the border line of Turkey with the north and the west of Afrin, and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored during the past few hours the continuation of the shelling by the Turkish forces on places in Afrin area, where the shelling targeted places in Maabatli area which killed 5 citizens including 2 children, raising to 38 at least, the number of citizens who have been killed since the “Olive Branch” Operation was launched on the 20th of January 2018, they are 36 citizens including 10 children and 4 women who were killed by the Turkish aerial, artillery and rocket shelling on several areas of Afrin located in the north-western countryside of Aleppo, and 2 citizens they are a man and his son were killed in shelling by the SDF on areas in Kiljibrin town in the northern countryside of Aleppo, and the number of casualties may increase because of the presence of tens of injuries, some of them have seriously wounded, and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored today Friday that the warplanes targeted places in Jendires Township, which caused material damage, and left injuries.

And with the continuation of killing Syrian citizens, the violent clashes are still continuing between the Turkish forces and the rebel and Islamic factions against the YPG and the Self-Defense Forces, in about 10 areas stretched from Qastal Jendo and Jabal Barsaya in the north-east, which the Turkish forces and the factions failed to maintain their control over it, reaching the south-west of Hamam, passing by the townships of Bulbula, Raju and Jendires in the north and the west of Afrin, amid exchange of targeting in the clash areas between them, and information about more human losses in their ranks, after tens of them were killed, in which the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights documented that the number of the fighters who were killed increased to 53 fighters at least of the YPG and the Self-Defense forces, while it has increased to 65 at least, the number of fighters of the rebel and Islamic factions operating within the “Olive Branch” Operation who were killed including 7 soldiers of the Turkish forces, who were killed during the ongoing clashes from the 20th of January 2018, and the SOHR obtained information about the presence of more human losses in the ranks of the both parties, which may raise the death toll.

And it is noteworthy that Afrin area witnessed repeated shelling in the past few months by the Turkish forces which turned during the past two months hold their control over points where they can be presented in the vicinity of Afrin area, and in the outskirts of the YPG-held areas, after they entered the area and carried out reconnaissance operations in Idlib and Aleppo countryside, in order to determine the most suitable place, and these rounds took place with the accompanying and the protection of Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham which secured the entry of the Turkish forces and their reconnaissance to the area, until they hold their points.