AP Explains: Turkey's 'Operation Olive Branch' in Afrin

[TomSea]

AP Explains: Turkey's 'Operation Olive Branch' in Afrin
ISTANBUL –

Turkey has launched an air and ground campaign into Afrin, a Kurdish-controlled enclave in northwestern Syria. Codenamed "Operation Olive Branch," it's the latest chapter in a decades-long conflict between Turkey and Kurdish militants. Here's a look at why this is happening now and what's at stake:

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WHAT'S THE GOAL?

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim has said Turkey wants to create a 30-kilometer (20-mile) deep "secure zone" in Afrin. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said the military operation is essential for Turkey's security and Syria's territorial integrity.

The Turkish operation aims to oust from Afrin a militia made up of an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 fighters affiliated with the People's Protection Units or YPG, a Syrian Kurdish group that has controlled territory in northern Syria and proven effective in fighting the Islamic State group.

Read more at: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2018/01/22/ap-explains-turkeys-operation-olive-branch-in-afrin.html