- Turkey government opened a new front in Syria’s nearly seven year old war on 20 January, 2018. It launched airstrikes against USA backed ‘Syrian-Kurdish YPG militia’ base at Afrin (Syria).
- Turkish Government has code named this strike as ‘Operation Olive Branch’.
- The main objective of the military operation was to recapture Tel Rifaat town and a string of Arab villages the YPG captured from rebels in February 2016.
- Actually, the YPG militia’s growing strength has raised alarm bell in Turkey. As Turkey fears that an independent Kurdish state on border can fuel rebellion among Turkey’s Kurdish population.
