Tal Rifaat

Displaced Syrians who live in tent camps near the Turkish border are hoping to return homes once Türkiye goes ahead with the planned military operation to clear the Tal Rifaat and Manbij regions of terrorists.

Following Ankara's announcement of an upcoming military incursion in northern Syria, the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army has deployed some 5,000 armed men in the region to act with the Turkish army to clear Tal Rifaat and Manbij provinces of PKK/YPG terrorists.

"We can take Tal Rifaat in 24 hours with Turkish soldiers," SNA commanders said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Turkish army has started hitting some PKK/YPG targets in northern Syria's Tal Rifaat and Manbij districts with cannon fire as the preparations for an upcoming crossover military operation, aimed to be conducted for safe return of some 500,000 Syrians, are ongoing.

Millions of Syrians living in Turkey will be able to return to their homeland after Ankara liberates Syria's Manbij, Tal Rifaat and the region east of the Euphrates from terrorists, Turkish president said on Jan. 26.

Turkish and Russian defense ministers discussed latest situation in Syria's norhwestern Idlib and Tal Rifaat in a phone conversation on Nov. 24, according to Turkish official sources.

Syria's Tal Rifaat will be the next target in Turkey's military operation into Afrin, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said.

The Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) have renamed the Menagh air base in northern Syria after the imprisoned leader of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) Abdullah Öcalan, British newspaper The Times reported on Feb. 18. 

Syria's government on Feb. 14 condemned Turkey for two days of shelling targeting mainly Kurdish forces in the northern province of Aleppo and urged the United Nations to act, state media said.