On March 4, the Turkish Army and the Free Syrian Army (FSA) captured the center of the Sheikh al-Hadid district and the villages of Mistekan and Araendi north of it, in the western part of the Afrin area, according to the Turkish Anadolu Agency. Thus, Turkish forces fully secured a route from the Euphrates Shield-held area in northern Aleppo to Idlib governorate.
#FSA soldiers in the center of Sheikh Al Hadid district.
Şeyh Hadid’in merkezindeki ÖSO askerleri. pic.twitter.com/UXcLvn5eA6
— Cemal (@Acemal71) March 4, 2018
Sources linked to the FSA also reported that the Turkish Army and its proxies had captured the villages of Hajji Khalil, Hulilu and Hill 1102 in the Rajo district northwest of Afrin city.
Click to see the full-size image
Click to see the full-size image
Meanwhile, the Kurdish Hawar News Agency (ANHA) reported that fighters of the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) had clashed with special forces of the Turkish Police and Gendarmerie in the village of Maskah in the Rajo district. Nine serivcemembers of the Turkish Police and Gendarmerie were reportedly killed.
The YPG press also announced that YPG fighters had repelled two attacks by the Turkish Army and its proxies on their positions around the villages of Hemelke and Hecilere in the Jandaris district. YPG fighters killed twelve Turkish Army soldiers and FSA fighters and injured thirteen others, according to the source.
The center of Jandaris district west of Afrin city is likely the next target of the Turkish Army and its proxies. YPG fighters will not likely be able to hold their positions they as they have already failed to defend the centers of Bulbul, Rajo and Sheikh al-Hadid districts.
