Turkish soldiers continue aid in Operation Peace Spring zone

Turkish soldiers continue their efforts of providing humanitarian aid to civilians in northern Syria's Operation Peace Spring zone, Turkey's Defense Ministry stated Saturday.

Releasing a message with photos from the region on its social media account, the ministry said, "Our heroic soldiers, who are a symbol of kindness and mercy, continue their aid activities in the Peace Spring region."

Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring Oct. 9 to eliminate terrorists from northern Syria east of the Euphrates River in order to secure Turkey's borders, aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees and ensure Syria's territorial integrity.

The operation, conducted in line with the country's right to self-defense borne out of international law and United Nations Security Council resolutions, aimed to establish a terror-free safe zone for the return of Syrians in the area east of the Euphrates River that was then controlled by United States-backed YPG terrorists, which is the Syrian branch of the PKK terror group.

Since the launch of the operation, Turkey has been supporting every aspect of life in the region, from health to education, security to agriculture. In this respect, efforts to clear bombs and improvised explosive devices were launched and administration responsibilities were given to local councils.

The country also rolled up its sleeves to reconstruct hospitals, schools, mosques and roads destroyed by the YPG/PKK. Within the scope of ameliorating the region's social infrastructure, people were provided with food and clothing by several nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), while roads and buildings were rebuilt. These efforts paid off as hundreds of displaced Syrians started to return to the liberated areas.