The Turkish military and Free Syrian Army (FSA) forces liberated on Friday four more villages from PKK-affiliated People's Protection Units (YPG) terrorists as part of Operation Olive Branch in northwestern Syria's Afrin.

The villages of Nasiriyah, Dukan and Iskan in the west of Jandaris town and Juqali village in western Afrin were cleared as YPG defenses collapsed against Turkish and FSA forces. On Thursday night, Turkish aircraft carried out airstrikes on many points in Afrin, including Mount Baflun, the village of Sheik Huruz, the towns of Sheran and Jandaris, as well as some terrorist meeting points.

Since the operation began, Turkish forces and the FSA have liberated a total of 45 zones, including 28 villages and 13 strategic mountains or hills.

Additionally, at least 1,062 terrorists have been neutralized since the beginning of Operation Olive Branch in Afrin, the Turkish military said Friday.

The Turkish military uses the term "neutralized" in reference to terrorists captured dead or alive, or those who surrendered during the operations. However, the term is often in reference to terrorists who were killed in the operations.

One Turkish soldier was killed during Friday's operations, the statement added.

Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch on Jan. 20 as part of efforts to eliminate the YPG presence in Afrin, northwestern Syria. The operation also aims to establish security and stability along the Turkish border and the region, as well as to protect the Syrian people from the oppression and cruelty of YPG terrorists. The operation is being carried out under the framework of Turkey's rights based on international law, the U.N. Security Council's decisions, self-defense rights under the U.N. charter and respect for Syria's territorial integrity.Afrin has been a major hideout for the YPG/PKK since July 2012, when the Bashar Assad regime in Syria left the city to the terror group without putting up a fight.