The Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) keeps a close watch on the regions occupied with the partnership of the United States and Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK)-affiliated Democratic Union Party (PYD) terrorist organization, such as Tell Abyad, Manbij, Afrin and Tell Rifaat. These four regions have been brought to attention due to the missile and howitzer attacks on civilian areas, and the terrorist organization’s infiltration attempts.
All possibilities are being evaluated in order to purge the region from PKK, which has since 2014 had greater influence with the U.S.’s support. The fact that the terrorist organization has increased the transfer of refugees and terrorists through the border with its missile and howitzer attacks, targeting the regions that had been liberated with the Euphrates Shield Operation, revealed the extent of the threat against Turkey. Turkey wants to soon take permanent measures at the borderline where PKK also ships drugs and weapons. Tell Rifaat, Manbij and Tell Abyad, the population consisting of Arabs and Turkmens, are the primary regions that Turkey plans to purge from terrorism in the near future.
A force of 25,000 soldiers is on standby for a possible operation to be launched against the terrorist organization in the regions liberated with the Euphrates Shield Operation. Around 15,000-17,000 Free Syrian Army (FSA) soldiers in Syria, and 8,000 soldiers from the Turkish Army are awaiting orders. Training camps have been established for the FSA, in the aftermath of the safety that has been ensured in the regions liberated with the Euphrates Shield Operation that started on Aug. 25.
More than 7,000 FSA soldiers have been trained in military order and conflict. Compared to 2016, the FSA’s fighting force has increased by 50 percent with recent participants. The Turkish army’s headquarters have been reinforced with arms and armored vehicles that have been sent to the region in the last three days. All activities of the terrorist organization are under surveillance, with the Turkish Armed Forces’ unmanned aerial vehicles, against PKK/PYD’s harassments that have recently increased in Manbij, Afrin and Tell Rifaat.
“We are determined to extend the dagger we have put into the heart of the terror entity project through the Euphrates Shield Operation with new moves. We will take important steps to implement the new campaigns in the near future. We would rather pay the price for foiling plans targeting our future and liberty in Syria and Iraq, than on our own soil,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Saturday. Sources from the region said that this statement, indicating the extension of the Euphrates Shield Operation, could be a milestone, and a comprehensive operation could be launched against the regions occupied by the terrorist organization.
