News / Syria

Video exposes full details of Turkish army’s attack on Press TV crew in Syria

Wednesday, 31 January 2018 2:23 PM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 31 January 2018 2:23 PM ]

Attack-Press TV crew-Afrin

Video footage has disclosed the details of an attack on the crew members of Iran’s English-language television news network Press TV as they were covering the ongoing Turkish military’s cross-border offensive in Syria’s northwestern region of Afrin against the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) militants.

The video shows a Press TV cameraman and four members of the team running for cover as Turkish military aircraft are flying overhead and pounding the positions of Kurdish forces in the town of Rajo.

Turkish artillery units could also be heard firing a salvo of rounds at YPG strongholds in the area.

Press TV correspondent Zahra al-Derzi and her colleagues were injured during the bombing and shelling of the town.

Al-Kawthar TV correspondent injured in Syria’s Afrin

Meanwhile, a correspondent for Iran’s Arabic-language al-Kawthar television network has been injured when covering latest developments on Turkey's so-called Operation Olive Branch in Afrin.

Sohaib al-Masry, a correspondent for Iran’s Arabic-language al-Kawthar television network

Local sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Sohaib al-Masry sustained gunshot wounds on Wednesday afternoon as Turkish troops were firing shots at the positions of Kurdish militants.

The Syrian government has already condemned the “brutal Turkish aggression” against Afrin, rejecting Ankara’s claim about having informed Damascus of the operation.

Damascus "strongly condemns the brutal Turkish aggression on Afrin, which is an inseparable part of Syrian territory," Syria’s official news agency, SANA, cited a Syrian Foreign Ministry source as saying on January 20.

Ankara views the YPG as the Syrian branch of the militant Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) that has been fighting for an autonomous region inside Turkey since 1984.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly said that Afrin should be cleared of “terrorists,” and demanded the deployment of Turkish troops there during a speech back in November 2016.

Turkish forces wave a flag on Mount Barsaya, northeast of Afrin, Syria, on January 28, 2018. (Photo by Reuters)

This is while US officials regard the YPG as the most effective fighting force against the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group in northern Syria, and have substantially increased their weaponry and technology support to the terrorist group.

The controversy over a possible Syria border force first started on January 14 when a report emerged on Reuters saying that the military coalition led by the United States in Syria was planning to set up a large border force of up to 30,000 personnel with the aid of its militia allies.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.ir