World Bulletin / News Desk

Turkey has got great success in its fight against terrorism in Al-Bab and Afrin regions of Syria, similar to the Battle of Canakkale (Gallipoli) when the nation made history 103 years ago, the Turkish president said on Sunday.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke at a ceremony held at the March 18 Stadium in the northwestern Turkish province of Canakkale to mark Canakkale Victory and Martyrs’ Day.

The Battle of Canakkale which took place in the province's Gelibolu (Gallipoli) district in 1915 marked a turnaround in favor of the Turks against the Allied forces during the World War I.

“Today we know very well the meaning of this struggle against terrorist organizations and the forces behind them both inside and outside our borders,” Erdogan said.

He said “the waves of terror against Turkey” was nothing other than the efforts of reviving the Canakkale campaign a century after.

“We have baffled those who think that they have created a terror corridor along our border,” Erdogan said referring to the Turkish Armed Forces and Free Syrian Army (FSA) success in Syria's Afrin town center.

“Afrin town center was completely taken control of at 8.30 a.m.," he said.

Turkey on Jan. 20 launched Operation Olive Branch to remove PYD/PKK and Daesh terrorists from Afrin.

According to the Turkish General Staff, the operation aims to establish security and stability along Turkey's borders and the region as well as protect Syrians from terrorist cruelty and oppression.