Turkey plants 75,000 trees in northern Syria

With Turkish support, some 75,000 trees have been planted in an area of northern Syria that Ankara cleared of terrorists, Turkish authorities said Wednesday.

In October 2019, the Tal Abyad district was liberated from YPG/PKK terrorists by Operation Peace Spring, carried out by the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) and the Syrian National Army.

The saplings were planted in Tal Abyad as part of an effort by the forestry authority in Turkey's border province of Şanlıurfa in coordination with the Syria Support and Coordination Center (SUDKOM). Most of the forestation work was done in the district's center, while teams are making efforts to plant saplings in other areas as well, the regional forestry authority said.

"We carried out massive forestation work on the main routes in Tal Abyad in a short amount of time. With forestation along the highway, Tal Abyad has turned green,” said Cevdet Çiçek, the head of the forestry authority. While adding that the project will continue, Çiçek said they are mainly planting palm saplings, which have "more visual charm."

On Oct. 9, 2019, Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring to eliminate YPG/PKK terrorists from northern Syria east of the Euphrates River to secure Turkey's borders, aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees and ensure Syria's territorial integrity. Since then, Turkey has reached agreements with both the U.S. and Russia to force the terrorist group to withdraw from the planned terror-free zone. The YPG/PKK, however, has continued to carry out attacks in Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ain despite pulling out of areas under a deal reached by Turkey and the United States in October 2019.