Minst 36 regimtrogna döda i turkisk attack mot Afrin

In January 2018, the Turkish military launched a military operation, code-named Operation Olive Branch (Turkish: Zeytin Dalı Harekâtı), in the Kurdish-controlled Afrin District and the Tell Rifaat Subdistrict in Northern Syria. The offensive is against the Kurdish-led Democratic Union Party in Syria (PYD), its armed wing People's Protection Units (YPG), and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) positions surrounding the Syrian city of Afrin. Turkey also claims it is fighting ISIL, though though the group does not exist in Afrin. Afrin and the surrounding area is claimed by the Democratic Federation of Northern Syria as Afrin Canton, part of its Afrin Region. It is the first major military operation by Turkey in Syria since Operation Euphrates Shield. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has stated that the operation in Afrin would be followed by a push in the northern town of Manbij, which the US-backed Kurdish forces captured from ISIL in 2016. American generals said they will respond "aggressively" if such a provocation is made against them. The YPG announced that it would protect the people of Afrin and respond to the Turkish army. Between 150 and 200 civilians have been reported killed and at least 16,000 civilians have been displaced since the operation started. Other war crime allegations include the mutilation of female corpses by TFSA fighters, the killing of civilians due to indiscriminate shelling by Turkish forces, the use of chemical gas by the Turkish army, and the indiscriminate shooting of refugees fleeing from the conflict area into Turkey by Turkish border guards. Erdoğan has threatened there will be a "heavy price" for those who have protested against the military offensive. Hundreds of individuals have been arrested for demonstrating against the operation. Over 800 social media users and nearly 100 politicians and journalists have been arrested for criticizing the operation. Turkish authorities have also arrested numerous leaders and high-ranking members of pro-Kurdish and left-wing political parties.