ANKARA: The Turkish army on Monday said 31 soldiers had been killed sinceAnkara launched its offensive against a Kurdish militia in Syria last month.

Another 143 Turkish soldiers were wounded in the operation dubbed “OliveBranch” which began on January 20 against the Syrian Kurdish People’sProtection Units (YPG) militia in the western region of Afrin, a statementsaid.

While the United States has given armed support to the YPG against theIslamic State group in Syria, Turkey says the militia is a “terrorist”offshoot of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

The PKK, proscribed as a terrorist organisation by Ankara and its Westernallies, has waged a three-decade insurgency against the Turkish state.

Turkey has been supporting Syrian rebels with ground troops and air strikesduring the operation which Ankara has threatened to extend eastwardstowards other YPG-held towns.

Turkey suffered its bloodiest day on Saturday when 11 military personnelwere killed, including two after a helicopter taking part in the offensivewas downed.

Some 1,369 “terrorists” had been neutralised during the operation, the armysaid, referring to those killed but also those captured or wounded.

It was not immediately possible to verify this figure.

But according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, 152YPG fighters and 165 Turkey-backed Syrian rebels have died in the operation.

The Observatory said at least 74 civilians have been killed in theoperation so far.

Turkey has repeatedly insisted it is taking all the necessary precautionsto avoid harming civilians and says there have been no civilian casualtiesto date.

At least seven civilians have been killed in Turkish border towns afterrockets were sent from Syria in attacks Ankara blames on the YPG. – APP /AFP