The first phase ends soon .. Turks talk about the outcome of days of "spring of peace" in Syria

The Turkish Defense Ministry said that the military operation launched in the north of Syria, known as the "spring of peace" so far has neutralized (killed) 415 elements, and control of more than 30 villages in northern Syria, while Kurdish units admitted the killing of only 30 of its members.

The Turkish Defense Ministry said in a statement issued Saturday morning that the operation continued successfully, and that the positions of the Syrian Democratic Forces - dominated and led by the YPG - were effectively targeted by land and air.

Al-Jazeera correspondent Amr Halabi said that the Syrian National Army forces (opposition forces) with the support of Turkish forces have made great progress on the Tal Abyad axis, represented in the control of 13 villages, and on several camps and important sites, and became close to the city of Tal Abyad.

He added that the second axis achieved by the Syrian National Army forces with the support of Turkish forces is the axis of Ras al-Ain, where it has controlled 18 villages so far, as well as the sites and fortifications of Kurdish units.

He added that one of the factions of the opposition announced recently control of the road linking Tal Abyad and Ras Al Ain, pointing out that the opposition forces advance on the axis of Ras Al Ain rather than on the axis of Tall Abyad.

On the other hand, the "Syrian Democratic Forces" says - according to the reporter - that it killed and wounded numbers of opposition forces and the Turkish army, and admits the killing of only 30 of its members.

Clashes
Meanwhile, Al-Jazeera correspondent in the eastern countryside of Aleppo reported clashes and artillery and rocket shelling between the Turkish army and Kurdish units.

Our correspondent reported that Kurdish units stationed in the town of Zor Maghar targeted the Turkish town of Karkamish and the Syrian city of Jarablus with a number of artillery shells led to the injury of a number of wounded in the city of Jarablus, the Turkish artillery responded with heavy shelling on the military positions of Kurdish units deployed in that area; where clashes occurred Heavy machine guns between the parties.

Three stages
In the same context, said the Turkish newspaper Sabah that the process of spring peace will be implemented in three stages, the first began since last Wednesday.

She pointed out that the next ten days will be the end of the first phase in accordance with the decisions of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

She explained that the first phase in which Turkish troops will advance rapidly to a depth of thirty kilometers.

The second phase involves controlling all areas in the east of the Euphrates, while the third phase will involve reinforcing steps to support the return of Syrian refugees to the area.

Meanwhile, The New York Times published an article by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Çavuşoوlu in which he said that Turkey's primary aim of launching the spring process is to remove the threat posed by terrorists along the Turkish-Syrian border and to rescue Syrians living in these areas from the oppression of terrorist organizations as well as to ensure the return of Syrian refugees to their homes.