Turkish military and allied Syrian have captured the northern Syrian town of Afrin, previously controlled by the Kurdish militia known as the People’s Defence Units (YPG). They faced little resistance from the Kurdish militia that retreated and vowed to turn to guerrilla tactics, calling the assault on Afrin “occupation”. Footage of long lines of vehicles leaving the town was aired on Syrian state-run TV. Kurdish official Othman Sheik Issa said a new phase of the fight will begin against Turkey, threatening “hit-and-run tactics” to target Turkish troops and their allied forces. Salih Muslim, a senior Kurdish official living in exile in Europe, tweeted that Kurdish fighters had withdrawn from the town but that they will continue their fight.

Source: Daily Mail March 18, 2018 18:22 UTC