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The Turkish military increased number of artillery and air strikes on Kurdish YPG/YPJ forces in Syria’s afrin after its proxies had failed to establish control over the strategic mount of Birsaya despite two days of the operations there.
The Free Syrian Army (FSA) supported by the Turkish Armed Forces attacked positions of the YPG/YPJ on multiple frontlines but were not able to break the defense of Kurdish forces and to achieve any notable progress on January 23. According to pro-Turkish sources, the FSA seized the village of Hammam and the nearby hills. However, the area became contested after Kurdish units had launched a counter-attack there.
Despite this, the YPG/YPJ is now in very complicated situation. Turkish forces have an advantage in manpower and firepower and they are able to pressure Kurdish forces from multiple directions.
Turkish multiple rocket launcher systems shell positions of the YPG/YPJ in Afrin:
قصفت الوحدات التركية المنتشرة على الحدود مع سوريا، الثلاثاء، مواقع إرهابيي “ب ي د/بي كا كا” في منطقة عفرين بالمدفعية والقاذفات الصاروخية، في إطار عملية “غصن الزيتون”https://t.co/n2EOrM6jmm pic.twitter.com/Gy9F1NtH57
— ANADOLU AGENCY (AR) (@aa_arabic) 23 January 2018
