MESOP NEWS UPDATE : “We’re in Afrin today, Manbij tomorrow,” Erdogan claimed

Erdogan: Turkish troops surround Afrin, may enter city at any moment

By Rudaw 3 hours ago –  9 March 2018 – A sign reads ‘Welcome to the city of Afrin’ in Kurdish and Arabic, in northwestern Syria’s Aleppo province in late February 2018.ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Turkish troops and their Syrian allies have surrounded the city of Afrin and are ready to “enter at any moment” President Recep Tayyip Erdogan claimed on Friday, saying Manbij would be next.

“Right now, Afrin city center is surrounded,” state-run Anadolu Agency quoted Erdogan as saying at the inauguration of the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party’s Politics Academy in Ankara.”We’re in Afrin today, Manbij tomorrow,” Erdogan claimed, adding they would not stop until they have reached the Iraqi border.

“We will make sure the east of the Euphrates until the Iraqi border is cleansed of every terrorist group,” he said referring to the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the People’s Protection Units (YPG). Turkish forces and their Syrian proxies have taken control of the dam that is the major water source for Afrin and claim to have reached the boundaries of the city, state media reported. Turkey on Thursday took control of a fifth town, now controlling five towns in the Kurdish enclave: Jandaris, Bulbul, Shera, Rajo, and Sheikh Hadid.  UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has called on the United Nations to open a humanitarian corridor to allow the civilian population to flee.

A UN estimate has put the population of Afrin at around 323,000.

Many people have been displaced in Syria’s north-western corner. They have moved from the outer regions towards the centre, blaming Turkish bombardments and lack of basic necessities for pushing them out of their homes.  Media linked to the Kurdish YPG forces reported heavy clashes and Turkish airstrikes on multiple fronts on Friday morning, killing several civilians. The Observatory reported 199 civilian deaths in Afrin as of Thursday.

Turkish officials have denied the deaths of civilians in the offensive that began on January 20.  The YPG has slammed what they describe as global silence on the military offensive. “This people will forgive, but will never forget the invaders and their crime partners.”

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