Flag-wrapped coffin of Ahmet Bayram, a Turkish soldier who was killed during the military operation against Syria's Afrin region, is carried by honour guards during his funeral ceremony in Hatay, Turkey February 4, 2018. (Reuters Photo)

ANKARA, Feb 10 (Xinhua) -- Nine Turkish soldiers were killed and eleven others were injured in cross-border operation in Syria's Afrin on Saturday, Turkish military said in a statement.

At least 79 People's Protection Units (YPG) militants, Islamic State(IS) members were killed in Saturday air strikes, raising the total number to 1,141 since the beginning of "Operation Olive Branch" in Afrin, the Turkish general staff said.

On Jan. 20, Turkey launched "Operation Olive Branch" to clear YPG militants from Afrin in northwestern Syria.

Turkey considers the YPG to be the Syrian affiliates of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).