Turkish soldier martyred in Operation Olive Branch

Lieutenant Officer Oğuz Kaan Usta (30) was martyred on Tuesday during the fourth day of Operation Olive Branch.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu announced the loss via his Twitter account.

“Oğuz Kaan Usta, who took part in Operation Olive Branch in Afrin for the perpetuity of our nation, was martyred. Our struggle will continue until we root out terrorism,” said Çavuşoğlu.

Operation Olive Branch was initiated on Jan. 20 in Afrin to establish security and stability, eliminate terrorists of PKK/KCK/PYD-YPG and Daesh, and save locals from the terrorists’ oppression and cruelty.

A soldier was also martyred on Monday during clashes with terrorist groups in northwestern Syria, during a clash between the Turkish Armed Forces and the terrorist groups PKK, KCK, PYD/YPG and Daesh took place southeast of the Turkish village of Gulbaba, just across the Syrian border.

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

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 also said it is putting the "utmost importance" on not harming any civilians.

Afrin has been a major hideout for the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK)’s Syrian offshoot, the PYD/PKK since July 2012, when the Assad regime in Syria left the city to the terror group without putting up a fight.

Cross-border attacks by the PYD/PKK terror group in southern Turkey started as the Turkish army operation in Syria’s northwestern town of Afrin continues.

The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the European Union and the United States. The PKK has been conducting armed violence in the southeastern part of Turkey since 1984. More than 40,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in the three-decade long conflict.