A total of 214 terrorist targets have been hit in Turkey's Operation Olive Branch in the past four days, Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım said Wednesday.

Speaking at a joint news conference with his Niger counterpart Brigi Rafini in Ankara, Yıldırım said that the operation is proceeding as planned and Turkish forces continue to clear PKK-linked People's Protection Units (YPG) terrorists off of Syria's Afrin region.

Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch on Jan. 20. with the aim to establish security and stability along Turkish borders and in the region as well as to protect the Syrian people from the oppression and cruelty of terrorists.

The operation is being carried out under the framework of Turkey's rights within international law, U.N. Security Council resolutions, its right to self-defense under the U.N. Charter and respect for Syria's territorial integrity.

The military also said "utmost importance" is being placed on not harming any civilians.

Afrin has been a major hideout for the YPG since July 2012 when the Assad regime in Syria left the city to the terror group without putting up a fight. The region is essential for PKK to pressure southern Turkey with terror attacks, as well as plans to create a Kurdish political structure reaching the Mediterranean Sea.