FSA commander says 25,000 Syrian rebels back Turkish force in Syria

Turkey-backed Free Syrian Army fighters are seen at a training camp in Azaz, Syria January 21, 2018. REUTERS/Osman Orsal

AMMAN (Reuters) - Around 25,000 Free Syrian Army rebels are joining the Turkish military operation in northern Syria with the goal of recapturing Arab towns and villages seized by the YPG Kurdish militia almost two years ago, a rebel commander said on Sunday.

Major Yasser Abdul Rahim, who is also the commander of Failaq al Sham, a main FSA rebel group in the operations room of the campaign, said the rebels did not seek to enter the mainly Kurdish city of Afrin but encircle it and expel the YPG.