ANKARA
Another tunnel network has been found in the northern Syrian town of Ras Al-Ayn, which was recently liberated from the YPG/PKK terrorist group as a part of the Turkish-led Operation Peace Spring.
“During search and sweep operations by our heroic soldiers in Ras al-Ayn, a new tunnel network was discovered belonging to the PKK/YPG terrorist group,” the Turkish Defense Ministry said in a statement on Twitter on Monday.
The ministry also shared photos of the tunnel.
YPG/PKK terrorists dug the tunnels to flee the approaching Turkish troops and to infiltrate and carry out sneak attacks.
Similar tunnels were discovered in Afrin, northern Syria by the Turkish army after its villages were cleared of terrorists by the Turkish-led Operation Olive Branch and Operation Peace Spring.
Since 2016, Turkey has carried out three successful operations in northern Syria against the terrorist YPG/PKK and Daesh/ISIS: Operation Euphrates Shield (2016-17), Operation Olive Branch (2018), and Operation Peace Spring (2019).
Operation Peace Spring, launched on Oct. 9, aims to eliminate the terrorist YPG/PKK from northern Syria east of the Euphrates River in order to secure Turkey’s borders, aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees, and ensure Syria’s territorial integrity.
Ankara and Washington reached a deal on Oct. 17 to pause the operation for 120 hours to allow the withdrawal of YPG/PKK terrorists from a planned northern Syria safe zone.
On Oct. 22, Turkey also reached an agreement with Russia to allow the YPG/PKK terror group to withdraw from the safe zone.
Turkey wants to repatriate some two million Syrian refugees it is currently hosting to the zone after clearing it of terrorists.
In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK — listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union — has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children and infants. The YPG is the PKK’s Syrian offshoot.
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