Turkish Army Tightens Noose on Kurdish Fighters in Northern Syria

The sources said that the Turkish forces and allied militants captured the small towns of Qibar, Kobla, al-Qazi Farm and Ali Beik in clashes with the Kurds.

Also, the Operation Olive Branch forces occupied the villages of Jaqmaq Kabir, Jaqmaq Saqir, Hajman, Alamdar and Janjala in Edmanli region Northwest of Afrin, the sources said, adding that the villages of Kokaba, al-Andariya, Kafr Batra, Kojka, Talaf airport and Regiment 135th Base, a military training camp of the Kurdish militants in Jandaris region, came under the Turkish troops' control.

The army men and their allied militants are trying to advance against the Kurds from the two Northern and Southern flanks to meet each other in a region to split Afrin region and capture the town of Afrin.  

The Kurdish-language Hawar news reported on Sunday that a sum of 18 Turkish soldiers and allied militants were killed and several more were wounded in fresh clashes with the Kurdish gunmen in the village of Khalta in Afrin region.

Hawar news further said that a military vehicle of the Ankara forces also was destroyed in the clashes.

Local sources said that the army units and allied militants have captured a number of regions near the town of Afrin and are preparing to enter the Kurdish-held town.