Turkey accuses Syrian regime of opening pathway for Kurdish militants to Afrin

Turkish sources accused the Syrian regime of opening a pathway for members of the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) from Aleppo to the Kurdish-controlled city of Afrin in northern Syria.

On Saturday, Turkey announced the start of a military operation dubbed “Operation Olive Branch” to clear members of the Kurdish People’s Protection Units from Afrin and its surrounding countryside.

Turkey’s Anadolu news agency quoted “reliable sources” as saying that “the Syrian regime allowed members of the organization that occupies Sheikh Maqsood neighbourhood in Aleppo to send reinforcements to Afrin through areas under its control”.

The sources added that “cars loaded with personnel and ammunition left Sheikh Maqsood neighbourhood heading to Afrin, through the towns of Nobl and Zahra, controlled by the Syrian regime northwest of Aleppo”.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry announced on Saturday that it had sent the Syrian regime a written message through Russia informing it of the military operation in Afrin, but the Syrian regime denied receiving any notification or message in this regard.

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