Turkish army 'neutralizes' 22 Daesh terrorists in Syria

By Merve Yildizalp

ANKARA

Turkish Armed Forces “neutralized” 22 Daesh terrorists on the 72nd day of Operation Euphrates Shield during clashes in northern Syria Wednesday, the military said in a statement on Thursday.

The Turkish General Staff said the clashes also left 11 Syrian opposition fighters injured. A total of 100 Daesh and 4 PKK/PYD targets were also destroyed, including terrorist shelters, defensive positions and command-and-control centers.

Operation Euphrates Shield was launched in late August to clear Syria's northern border area of terrorists.

Since the operation began, 1,345 kilometers square (521 miles square) have been taken under control, the statement said.

The statement added that six residential areas -- Ak Burhan, Baruzah, Vash, al-Gharz, Tlatinah and Tiltanah -- that were previously under Daesh control have been recaptured.

The operation continues to advance towards al-Bab, a strategic district in Syria's north.

The PKK/PYD's plan of uniting the districts of Afrin (west of al-Bab) and Manbij (east of al-Bab) as well as its territories east of the Euphrates River has become significantly harder ever since Free Syrian Army fighters backed by the Turkish military started advancing towards al-Bab as part of Operation Euphrates Shield.

The Operation Euphrates Shield has seen both Daesh and PKK/PYD terrorist groups targeted by the opposition Free Syrian Army plus Turkish tanks, artillery and aircraft.

The PKK and its Syrian offshoot, the PYD, are both listed as terrorist groups by Turkey, although the U.S. and EU only view the PKK as a terrorist organization.

Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011 when the regime of Bashar al-Assad cracked down on pro-democracy protests.