3 Turkish soldiers martyred in Syria's Al-Bab

By Sarp Özer

ANKARA (AA) - Three Turkish soldiers have been martyred and 11 wounded during Operation Euphrates Shield near the Daesh-held city of Al-Bab in northern Syria, according to the Turkish military.

The Turkish General Staff said Wednesday that an operation in league with Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters to liberate Al-Bab from Daesh had resulted in the casualties, with one soldier in critical condition.

The injured soldiers were taken to nearby hospitals.

Earlier Wednesday, the military announced that with the support of opposition ground and air elements, the road between Al-Bab and the war-battered city of Aleppo had been taken under control.

Civilians have been evacuating Aleppo, once Syria’s second-largest city, and its long siege by regime forces.

Operation Euphrates Shield began in late August to improve security, support coalition forces, and eliminate the terror threat along Turkey’s border using Free Syrian Army fighters backed by Turkish artillery and jets.