Turkish Forces Hunting Kurdish Militants in Northern Syria

TEHRAN (defapress)- The Turkish forces are hunting PYD/PKK militants in fortified tunnels that stretch out for dozens of kilometers at the strategically important Mount Bursaya in Northwestern Aleppo, a Turkish media outlet reported on Sunday.

News ID: 68732

Date: 18 February 2018 - 17:51

According to Anadolu Agency correspondents on the ground, the Turkish soldiers are blocking tunnel entrances to prevent infiltration by the Kurdish fighters in Afrin region.

Day and night, using drones and night-vision aircraft, soldiers are monitoring the tunnels, which reach villages such as Bafliyun, Katman and Qestel.

During the ongoing Operation Olive Branch, special commandoes first sweep the area for explosives, and then search for the militants in the tunnels.

Although Mount Bursaya was captured by Turkey on Jan. 28, tunnels remain within the peak, built with concrete blocks some 90 centimeters thick, and stretching as far as 1.5 kilometers.

Military sources told Anadolu Agency that some of the tunnel entrances are still in control of PYD/PKK terrorists. Some of the tunnels that reach nearby villages are as long as 50 km, said the sources, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Turkish "sparrow" drones can detect movement and take photos of the tunnels at all hours, helping Turkish forces clear out the terrorists.

The sources added that the tunnels were built with an understanding of military strategy and must have cost millions of dollars.

Turkey on Jan. 20 launched Operation Olive Branch to remove PYD/PKK from Afrin.