Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan addressed the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party’s sixth provincial congress in Turkey’s Mersin on Saturday, Yeni Safak reports.
“The number of neutralized terrorists in Afrin has risen to 3,213. Once Afrin is captured, it will be delivered to its true owners,” said Erdoğan.
"We are advancing toward Afrin [city center]. Approximately 850 square kilometers are under our control during the Afrin operation, and our aim is to clear 2,000 square kilometers from terrorists," he added.
The Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) and Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters are currently only five kilometers away from the Afrin city center, as Turkey’s Operation Olive Branch enters its 50th day.
