Turkish flag hoisted over Afrin, Kurd fighters flee

Turkish troops capture a Syrian town that had previously been held by Kurdish forces

By Nathan Morley

After nearly two months of fighting, Turkish-backed forces have taken complete control of Afrin in the north of Syria, after Kurdish resistance dissolved.

In a nationally broadcast statement, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed the news, adding that most of the Kurdish forces had fled the area.

“Most of the terrorists have already fled with tails between their legs. Our special forces and members of the Free Syrian Army are cleaning the remains and the traps they left behind,” Erdogan told a rally, which was called to mark the anniversary of the Gallipoli campaign in World War One.

In January, the Turkish military, along with the Free Syrian Army, launched 'Operation Olive Branch' in Afrin targeting the YPG, which Ankara views as an extension of the banned PKK Kurdistan Workers' Party.

At least 140,000 people managed to escape from Afrin during the last week.

Meanwhile, Russian media outlets are reporting that at least 20,000 people fled the Eastern Ghouta region on Sunday.

Listen to Nathan Morley's report