Turkish forces are seen near Mount Barsaya, northeast of Afrin, Syria on January 23, 2018. (Photo: Reuters)

The Turkish military command said that after several days of poor visibility due to heavy rain and fog, Turkish warplanes and artillery took advantage of clear skies to seize Mount Barsaya near the Kurdish town of Afrin in northwestern Syria. The hill is important because it overlooks the towns of Kilis and Azaz, either side of the Turkish-Syrian border.

Turkey's air and artillery strikes on Sunday were even fiercer than on previous days. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reports that 42 civilians have been killed since the operation was launched on January 20, including 12 children. Ankara denies shelling any civilian areas.