Turkish-backed Syrian rebels fighters take position as they stand guard near the frontline on January 26, 2018 at the Syrian town of Azaz. The Turkish military on January 20 launched operation "Olive Branch", its second major incursion into Syrian territory during the seven-year civil war. (AFP Photo)
ANKARA, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- At least 394 Kurdish militia and Islamic State (IS) members have been killed and captured since the beginning of Turkey's offense into Syria's northwestern Afrin region, the Turkish military said Saturday.
During the operation, the Turkish Armed Forces also destroyed 340 targets, including weapon pits, shelters and ammunition depots, the Turkish General Staff said in a statement.
Three Turkish soldiers have been killed and 30 others injured since the operation was launched.
The Turkish military launched the cross-border Operation Olive Branch with Free Syrian Army to fight the Syrian Kurdish militia on Jan. 20, targeting the People's Protection Units (YPG) elements in the Kurdish enclave through airstrikes and land forces.
YPG is the military wing of the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD), a group in northern Syria that Ankara has deemed a "terror group" for its links to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
