Families in Syria's Afrin hope to reunite with children

Families in Afrin who were forced to send their children abroad to avoid them from getting recruited by the YPG/PKK terrorist group are now dreaming of reuniting with them following liberation of their town center.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency correspondents in the region, the families recalled the oppression of the terrorist group before the Turkish military and Free Syrian Army set them free.

Ebu Faruk -- an Afrin local and a father of three -- said he and his wife stayed back in Afrin after sending their children to other countries.

"They pressured us into giving them our children. But fortunately they escaped. Two of my sons are in Turkey, the other is in Lebanon," Faruk said.

"They wanted to arm my kids. They escaped, [but] I have not seen my boys in Turkey in five years.

“My other boy is in Lebanon, have not seen him in 10 years. I want to reunite them, it is enough," he told Anadolu Agency.

Another Afrin resident Mohammad Rashid -- a father of five children – said: "The terrorist group came to me and asked for my sons. They were married.

“If they had joined the group, who would have raised their children?" he asked.

"Because of them [the YPG/PKK terrorist group], I have been separated from them.

“I am only left with one of my boys. They even asked for him but I declined, telling them that I have only him left," Rashid said.

Turkey on Jan. 20 launched Operation Olive Branch to remove YPG/PKK and Daesh terrorists from Afrin.

Afrin town center was successfully liberated from terrorists on the 58th day of the operation.

According to the Turkish General Staff, the operation aims to establish security and stability along Turkey's borders and the region as well as protect Syrians from terrorist cruelty and oppression.

The operation is being carried out under the framework of Turkey’s rights based on international law, UN Security Council resolutions, its self-defense rights under the UN charter, and respect for Syria's territorial integrity, it said.

The military has also said that only terrorist targets are being destroyed and "utmost care" is being taken to avoid harming any civilians.

Afrin has been a major hideout for the PYD/PKK since July 2012, when the Assad regime in Syria left the city to the terror group without a fight.