Turkish troops and Free Syrian Army fighters had took control of the Afrin city center as part of Operation Olive Branch launched Jan. 20 to clear the area of YPG/PKK-Daesh terrorists.
After the successful operation, President Erdogan had said that Turkey’s counterterrorism fight would not end with Afrin. “It will be followed by Idlib and Manbij. We don’t have to be friends with everybody, but we can be allies with everybody compatible with our interests.” Turkish President had stated at AK Party’s district congress in Istanbul.
Expanding Turkey’s military campaign into the much larger terrorist-held territory further east, which President Tayyip Erdogan has vowed to do, has US forces worried about the confrontation. US forces has tightened the security in Manbij border.