Turks, allies hold Afrin in north Syria

Syrians queue for food at a distribution centre in the northwestern city of Afrin, Syria, during a Turkish government-organised media tour into northern Syria, Saturday, March 24, 2018. Turkey and allied Syrian opposition fighters captured the city of Afrin on Sunday, March 18, nearly two months after the launch of an operation to clear the area of the main Syrian Kurdish militia known as the People's Protection Units or YPG. Turkey considers the YPG a terror group and an extension of Kurdish rebels waging an insurgency within its own borders.(AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)
Syrians queue for food at a distribution centre in the northwestern city of Afrin, Syria, during a Turkish government-organised media tour into northern Syria, Saturday, March 24, 2018. Turkey and allied Syrian opposition fighters captured the city of Afrin on Sunday, March 18, nearly two months after the launch of an operation to clear the area of the main Syrian Kurdish militia known as the People's Protection Units or YPG. Turkey considers the YPG a terror group and an extension of Kurdish rebels waging an insurgency within its own borders.(AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)

AFRIN, Syria -- The Turkish army and Syrian opposition fighters it backs have "total control" of the Kurdish enclave of Afrin in northern Syria, the country's official news agency reported Saturday, nearly a week after they captured the main town that carries the same name.

Anadolu news agency said the Turkish military was continuing its sweep for mines and explosives to allow Afrin's residents to return, after airstrikes and clashes with Syrian Kurdish forces.

Turkey launched a ground and air offensive on Jan. 20 code-named Olive Branch to oust the main Syrian Kurdish militia known as the People's Protection Units from Afrin. Turkey considers the People's Protection Units a terror group and an extension of Kurdish rebels waging an insurgency within its own borders.

Syrian Kurdish officials and the country's state media said the Turkish offensive displaced more than 200,000 people from their homes.

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In Afrin's town center, captured last Sunday, allied Syrian forces patrolled the streets as Turkish tanks and armored personnel carriers drove past.

Ismail Montaser Billah, a Syrian fighter, said the People's Protection Units withdrew from Afrin after resisting the offensive. "They had left mines but thank God we took [the town] and we will step on their heads, God willing," he said. Turkish and Syrian opposition flags were flying in the area.

Civilians, including women and children, were out and about in central Afrin. Abdul-Rahman Mohammed, a civilian, said the People's Protection Units mistreated locals who did not cooperate. "We are suffering because of a lack of food and water," he added.

The Turkish Red Crescent distributed food and aid in Afrin. Kerem Kinik, the organization's president, said some 100,000 civilians remained in and around Afrin.

Meanwhile, about 7,000 members of a rebel group and their relatives were preparing to leave eastern Ghouta to opposition-held areas north of the country Saturday as part of an agreement to evacuate the second of three pockets held by opposition fighters east of the capital, Damascus, Syria's state media reported.

The departure comes a day after an agreement was reached between Faylaq al-Rahman, the second-most- powerful rebel group in eastern Ghouta, and the Russians to surrender the second of three pockets in eastern Ghouta, where rebels have been holding up over the past years.

Earlier in the day, bulldozers removed giant sand barriers from a main road in the town of Harasta that will be used by the rebels and their relatives to make their way to the country's north. After sunset, several buses carrying evacuees arrived at the edge of the town of Arbeen where they gathered before heading north.

The government-controlled Syrian Central Military Media said a corridor was prepared for Faylaq al-Rahman members and their relatives to leave the towns of Zamalka, Arbeen, Ein Tarma and Jobar.

The evacuations come after thousands of people streamed out of Harasta, the first pocket after a similar negotiated deal for the evacuation of armed fighters and civilians. On Friday night, Harasta was void of rebels for the first time in six years.

"The city of Harasta in eastern Ghouta is free of terrorism," Syrian media said of opposition fighters that the government refers to as terrorists.

Faylaq al-Rahman said in a statement Friday that the deal will lead to the immediate evacuation of sick and wounded people for treatment and to allow aid to enter the besieged area.

The group added that opposition fighters and their relatives who decide to leave eastern Ghouta will head to rebel-held parts of northern Syria while civilians who choose to stay will be guaranteed safety.

After the departure of Faylaq al-Rahman fighters, the only rebel-held pocket in eastern Ghouta will be the town of Douma, which is controlled by the Army of Islam group.

On Saturday, hundreds more left Douma to government-controlled areas, including 700 government supporters whom the rebel group had been holding for years, according to Syrian media.

Information for this article was contributed by Bassem Mroue of The Associated Press.

A Section on 03/25/2018

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