Northern Cyprus supports Turkey's Afrin operation

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus early Sunday expressed support for Turkey's military operation against terrorist groups in Syria's Afrin region.

In a Twitter post, Prime Minister Hüseyin Özgürgün said his greatest wish is the successful outcome of the Afrin operation.

He said Turkish Cypriots stand with motherland Turkey and Turkish soldiers at heart.

Ozgurgun's post came after Turkey launched an operation, dubbed "Operation Olive Branch" in the Afrin region, Syria on Saturday.

It aims to establish security and stability along the Turkish borders and the region as well as to eliminate terrorists and protect the Syrian people from the terrorists' oppression and cruelty.

The operation is carried out under the framework of Turkey's rights based on international law, the UN Security Council's decisions and self-defense rights under the UN charter, said the military.

The PYD/PKK is the Syrian offshoot of the PKK terrorist group, which has been designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU.

Since the mid-1980s, the PKK has waged a wide-ranging terror campaign against the Turkish state in which an estimated 40,000 people have been killed.