Kurds shocked over 'mutilated' female fighter video, Turkey remains silent

By Nathan Morley

In one of the most gruesome episodes of the conflict, Kurds in Syria have accused Turkish-backed rebels of mutilating the body of a female Kurdish
fighter, then posting the footage online.

The victim, a member of the Kurdish People's Protection Unit - known as YPG - has been identified as Barin Kobani. She took part in a recent operation
to drive the so-called Islamic State from areas in northern Syria.

So far Ankara has refrained from commenting on the video, and those responsible remain unidentified.

Last month, the Turkish military, along with the Free Syrian Army, launched 'Operation Olive Branch' in Afrin targeting the YPG, which Ankara views as
an extension of the banned PKK Kurdistan Workers' Party.

The huge cross-border operation - which involves airstrikes and land forces - has proved to be costly.

Turkish officials claim that 790 members of YPG, Kurdish Democratic Union Party and Islamic State have been killed since the beginning of their
operation into Afrin.

In response, the YPG has launched countless rockets into the Turkish border provinces of Hatay and Kilis over the last few weeks, killing five Turkish
civilians.