A prominent commander in the Free Syrian Army (FSA) was part of a delegation received by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the Presidential Complex in Ankara.
Yeni Şafak daily managed to get the details of the extraordinary story of his bravery which was lauded by President Erdoğan.
Regarding his expectations from Turkey, FSA commander Y.A. says that he entrusts his family “to the noble Turkish nation in the case that I’m martyred” before every battle.
A total of 302 Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters were martyred during Turkey’s Operation Olive Branch in the northwestern region of Afrin, while 614 were killed in Operation Euphrates Shield that liberated Azaz, Jarabulus and al-Bab from Daesh.
Erdoğan recounted the story of the FSA commander during a speech in Turkey’s Denizli.
“There’s one commander in the FSA who was heavily wounded four times in many places and lost his stomach during battle. The PKK put a price on his head. But he did not stop after undergoing several operations. He went to the frontline again.”
Several parties tried to buy the loyalty of this FSA commander, whose wealthy father was a former Syrian army general, however, when the war broke out he chose to join the ranks of the Free Syrian Army.
He turned down all the money and ranks he was offered and vowed to continue the fight against the regime, becoming one of the most feared commanders of the Free Syrian Army.
FSA commander Y.A. played a crucial role during the fight to rout Daesh from Aleppo, which was besieged for years by the regime.
Through the heroism and leadership he displayed on the battlefield, he was considered to be among the few FSA commanders that were credited with delaying regime takeover of Aleppo by two-and-a-half years.
Moving from one battle front to another, he has to this day fought in Hama, Aleppo, and both the Euphrates Shield and Olive Branch operations led by Turkey.
He took part in both Turkey-led operations in Syria under the title “Corps Deputy Commander,” of the FSA-affiliated Faylaq al-Sham units.
