Istanbul Syriac Ancient Foundation expressed its full support for the Turkish military's anti-terror operation in northeastern Syria.

"We fully support the operation launched by our country," the foundation said in a statement published on its Twitter account Friday, hailing Turkey's war against terrorists and effort to establish peace in Syria.

"We hope that the operation will bring security to the people living in Syria and peace in the region," the foundation added, expressing condolences to the families of the fallen soldiers.

"We hope that our soldiers who are fighting at the expense of their lives will return to their country unharmed," the statement said.

Syrian Christians have long been critical of the oppressive practices of the YPG in northern Syria. In August 2018, the Armenian and Assyrian private schools in the town of Malikiyah, also known as Derik in Kurdish, were closed with decrees issued by YPG-linked local education authorities citing that they did not take necessary permissions or abide by the curriculum. Following the decision, Syrian Christians gathered in the center of Qamishli and demonstrated against YPG rule.

Also, in February 2018, the World Council of Arameans (Assyrians) announced that the YPG forcefully kidnapped and recruited Assyrian, Kurdish and Arab children to fight for them and violated the rights of the local population.

"The YPG talks about democracy, human rights and free will, but they do not uphold these ideals and forcefully kidnap children from their families and arm them," said Johnny Messo, a Dutch-Assyrian politician who has been serving as president of the council since 2009.

Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring, the third in a series of cross-border anti-terror operations in northern Syria targeting terrorists affiliated with Daesh and the PKK's Syrian offshoot the People's Protection Units (YPG), on October 9 at 4 p.m.

The operation, conducted in line with the country's right to self-defense borne out of international law and U.N. Security Council resolutions, aims to establish a terror-free safe zone for Syrians return in the area east of the Euphrates River controlled by the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which is dominated by YPG terrorists.