ANKARA: Syrian opposition fighters backed by Turkish warplanes killed 68 Daesh militants in northern Syria overnight, the Turkish military said on Saturday, as intense fighting around the town of Al-Bab continued.
Opposition fighters supported by Turkish troops have laid siege to the Daesh-held town for weeks under the “Euphrates Shield” operation launched by Turkey nearly four months ago to sweep the hard-liners and Kurdish fighters from its Syrian border.
Fighting around Al-Bab has escalated this week with Turkish soldiers and 138 terrorists killed in clashes on Wednesday in the deadliest day since the start of Turkey’s Syrian incursion.
Sixty-eight Daesh militants have been “neutralized” in fighting and airstrikes near Al-Bab since Friday night, the military said in a statement.
A total of 141 Daesh targets were hit in the attacks and one of its military headquarters was destroyed, the military said, adding that two of the Turkish-backed fighters had been killed and one wounded.
Defense Minister Fikri Isik said on Friday that the area around a hospital used as a command center and ammunition depot by Daesh had been cleared of militants, marking a breakthrough for the fighters.
Speaking in Kocaeli province, near Istanbul, Isik also said authorities had information three Turkish soldiers had been captured by Daesh but nothing else had been confirmed.
Opposition fighters supported by Turkish troops have laid siege to the Daesh-held town for weeks under the “Euphrates Shield” operation launched by Turkey nearly four months ago to sweep the hard-liners and Kurdish fighters from its Syrian border.
Fighting around Al-Bab has escalated this week with Turkish soldiers and 138 terrorists killed in clashes on Wednesday in the deadliest day since the start of Turkey’s Syrian incursion.
Sixty-eight Daesh militants have been “neutralized” in fighting and airstrikes near Al-Bab since Friday night, the military said in a statement.
A total of 141 Daesh targets were hit in the attacks and one of its military headquarters was destroyed, the military said, adding that two of the Turkish-backed fighters had been killed and one wounded.
Defense Minister Fikri Isik said on Friday that the area around a hospital used as a command center and ammunition depot by Daesh had been cleared of militants, marking a breakthrough for the fighters.
Speaking in Kocaeli province, near Istanbul, Isik also said authorities had information three Turkish soldiers had been captured by Daesh but nothing else had been confirmed.
