ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — After Monday’s fatality figures rose to 61, Turkey’s shelling of Afrin has continued on Tuesday with reports of Turkish units and their proxies taking two villages in the west and an escalation in bombardment causing further displacement into the capital city.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported late on Monday of the deaths of "61 Syrian civilians of the Kurds, Arabs and Armenians" in Afrin since the conflict began.
Sati Ushaghi and Suleiman Khalil villages in western Afrin came under the control of the Turkish Army and Free Syrian Army (FSA) units, Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency claimed on Tuesday.
Turkey and their proxy fighters were able to capture the villages after establishing a foothold in Rajo district, the agency added. Turkish war planes had targeted areas in Rajo and Jandaris on Monday, SOHR reported.
The Observatory described the air strikes as an escalation in bombardment causing displacement and injury in the countryside villages Arab Wiran, Dir Sawan, northeast of Afrin city, as well as Khalta and Jalbara southwest of the city.
Anadolu claimed three rockets landed in Turkey’s border provinces of Kilis and Hatay on Tuesday, but resulted in no casualties.
YPJ commander Nujin Derik in Afrin called on the world to establish a no-fly zone over the northwestern Syrian region to protect civilians in a New York Times column published on Monday.
YPJ is the all-female unit with mostly-Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG).
The Syrian Democratic Forces, the US-led international anti-ISIS coalition local partner force which the YPG has fought in across northern Syria, labelled the bombings as “indiscriminate.”
According to UN figures, 323,000 people are living in Afrin and nearby areas under Kurdish control. Of them, 192,000 are in need of humanitarian aid and 125,000 are IDPs displaced from other parts of Syria.
Turkey, along with its so-called FSA proxies, launched their assault on Kurdish-controlled Afrin in Syria on January 21, dubbed 'Operation Olive Branch.'
Turkish military denies using banned weapons, targeting cultural sites
Photos from AFP taken on Monday showed destruction at the remains of the Iron Age temple of Ain Dara.
Turkish jets shelled Cyrrhus archaeological site in Shera district, media close to the YPG, ANHA reported on Monday. Cyrrhus, also called Nebi Huri in Kurdish, was a city founded by one of Alexander the Great’s generals.
Turkey's military on Tuesday denied targeting "religious and cultural structures, historical monuments and archaeological remains" in Afrin.
Photos from AFP taken on Monday showed destruction at the remains of the Iron Age temple of Ain Dara.
Turkish jets shelled Cyrrhus archaeological site in Shera district, media close to the YPG, ANHA reported on Monday. Cyrrhus, also called Nebi Huri in Kurdish, was a city founded by one of Alexander the Great’s generals.
Turkey's military on Tuesday denied targeting "religious and cultural structures, historical monuments and archaeological remains" in Afrin.
Additionally, the air force denied using "napalm, chemical, biological and similar ammunition prohibited by international law and treaties."
"Such ammunition is not on the inventory of the Turkish Armed Forces," read the statement.
Ankara added that its military hasn't targeted "religious and cultural structures, historical monuments and archaeological remains."
"Such ammunition is not on the inventory of the Turkish Armed Forces," read the statement.
Ankara added that its military hasn't targeted "religious and cultural structures, historical monuments and archaeological remains."
Such claims were dismissed as "lies" and "slander."
Last updated at 3:40 p.m. with Turkish military statement. Note: Previous headline change.
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