Turkey reopens churches, mosques in northern Syria

ANKARA The Turkish Defense Ministry released a video Tuesday showing reopening of mosques and churches in Syria's northern towns of Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ayn. After repairing damage done by YPG/PKK terrorists who until recently occupied the region, Turkey has returned mosques and churches in northern Syria to the service of worshipers. "Our heroic soldiers show respect for all beliefs and values, and are the guarantee of freedom," the ministry said on Twitter. "Turks, Kurds, Arabs, we are all Muslims. We want our people to come back," a worshipper said in the video after weekly Friday prayers in Tal Abyad's Iman Mosque. The footage showed that the Assyrian Orthodox Church and Siral Catholic Church in Ras al-Ayn as well as the Armenian Orthodox Church in Tal Abyad were currently open to worship after being liberated from YPG/PKK terrorists by Turkey's recent anti-terror operation in the region.