Bozdağ: 42 Soldiers Have Lost Their Lives in Afrin

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Deputy Prime Minister and Government Spokesperson Bekir Bozdağ made a statement and answered the questions of journalists after the Council of Ministers meeting which was held at the Presidential Palace yesterday evening (March 12) and led by the President and Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Bozdağ shared the opinions of the Council of Ministers regarding Afrin operation, dialogue with the US and allegations about civilian casualties.

"212 regions, 175 of which are villages, have been brought under control"

Some highlights from Bozdağ's statements are as follows:

"As of the onset of Operation Olive Branch, our 42 heroic soldiers have fallen martyrs and our 202 heroic sons have been wounded. Moreover, as a result of the missiles fired from Afrin region to Turkey and other attacks carried out by terrorists, our seven civilian citizens have fallen martyrs and 125 of them have been wounded.

"Within the scope of this operation, 3,381 members of the terrorist organizations PKK, KCK, PYD, YPG and DEAŞ [ISIS] have been neutralized so far.

"212 regions, 175 of which are villages and 37 of which are critical points, have been brought under control. All of the critical regions in the immediate neighborhood of Afrin have been brought under control. If God permits, the center of Afrin will also be cleaned from terrorists and the locals will be saved from the cruelty and oppression of the terrorists."

"Turkish Armed Forces have not targeted any civilians"

"We would like to call to the international community; to those countries and other circles that accuse Turkey of not treating the civilians sensitively, we would like to say that the most important thing which Turkey treats with sensitivity is the civilians.

"Since the day when the Turkish Armed Forces initiated the Operation Olive Branch, the Turkish Armed Forces have not targeted any civilians. They have not targeted any sanctuaries. They have also not targeted any educational or medical institutions." (AS/SD)

*Photograph : Anadolu Agency - Ankara