The operation, which started on January 20 against Afrin, district of Syria's Aleppo, continues on the 15th day with Turkish Armed Forces [TAF] and Turkiye backed-Free Syrian Army [FSA].
The operation, which named "Olive Branch" by Chief of Staff, announced to be carried out in order to ensure stability and security alongside Turkiye's border with Syria.
The General Staff informed that the operation had been started against "PKK / KCK / PYD-YPG and DEASH", but it is believed that the operation is the continuation of the "Operation Euphrates Shield" that launched on August 24, 2017.
The efforts of the PYD/PKK to increase its effectiveness in Syria, with the support of the USA and other countries, made itself more visible from day to day. Turkiye, although showed reactions to its "ally" to the United States that supports PYD/PKK, the US repeated many times that its support will continue.
The latest US' announcement that said to form 30,000-strong so-called "border security units" consists of the majority of YPG elements took severe reaction from Turkiye. Turkiye, which declared that they would never let such a thing, prepared for the operation and on January 20, the PYD/PKK targets have begun to hit by Turkiye's land and air forces.
Hundreds of members of the organization have been killed so far
The number of members who have been killed since the beginning of the operation was 897 announced the Chief of General Staff on Saturday and that hundreds of targets were destroyed as well.
The government said, "How long will the operation take? Until the last terrorist is neutralized, the region to be stabilized and the people there to continue to enjoy the taste of peace." President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan voiced that there will be Manbij operation after the Afrin.
So, how is the operation against Afrin interpreted from inside and outside?
HUDA PAR Headquarters, which evaluates the operation, says that it has the potential to cause serious complications that will affect the whole region.
HUDA PAR: A sensitive process is happening
HUDA PAR has emphasized above all that the utmost efforts should be made so that the civilian population will not be harmed and that the following results should be taken into consideration:
"Idlib and Afrin affairs are the results of the dirty abuse of the imperialist West's territorial claims and a cruel regime. Negotiating one against the other or making an alternative will not solve the problem and will make imperialism to stay there permanently. There is no doubt that those what we live today are the consequences of inviting the countries such as the US and Russia to Syria instead of solving the problem among themselves, and that the wrong politics are inevitable."
"Closure of all US military bases in the country has become a necessity"
It is obvious that America and Russia are not friendly to anyone except themselves noted HUDA PAR and said, "State and government officials should stop seeing the USA as an ally. As a result, it became a necessity for all US military bases in the country, especially Incirlik and Malatya Erhaç to be closed, which are not suitable for an independent country. We hope that the countries that have invited and settled the US somewhat in Syria have seen it as a great threat to the entire region."
MHP continues to work on the alliance with the AK Party voicing support for the operation. CHP also reports that support the Operations but criticized the FSA to act together with Turkiye. The government says the CHP's critics are not tangible.
The Turkish Medical Association (TTB) issued a statement titled "War is a public health problem". This explanation of the TTB, which advocating PKK at every opportunity, took reaction from many parts. In this context, a lawsuit was filed against TTB and some managers were taken into custody.
The pro-TTP explanations of CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu also attract attention.
As for countries that support Turkiye's operation to Afrin, there are also criticized countries. For example, Iran says that Turkiye's entry to Syria is not correct from the legal point. The US says it is normal for Turkiye to provide security along its borders but also warn for the duration of the operation for not taking long.
ILKHA