After its launch, you will know the objectives of the Turkish operation "spring of peace" in northern Syria

Ankara began a military operation in the northeast of Syria on Wednesday afternoon under the name of "spring of peace".

Turkish officials say the operation aims to create a safe zone stretching from the Euphrates River west - where the city of Jarablus - to Maliki in the far north-east of Syria at the Turkish-Iraqi border triangle, with a depth of 30 to 40 km, and an estimated 460 km.

According to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the aim of the operation is to remove what he called the terrorist corridor "they are trying to establish in the south of our country" and bring peace to the region, adding that "thanks to the safe area we will establish, we will ensure the return of Syrian refugees to their country."

The most important cities in this region, which are mostly controlled by the US-backed Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), are Tabqa, Ain Issa and Tall Abyad in Raqqa governorate, and Qamishli and Malikiyah in Hassakeh province.

The Americans have several military bases in these areas that have withdrawn from some of them on the border with Turkey, especially from Tall Abyad and Ras al-Ain.