Turkey, US coalition kill '18 Daesh' in northern Syria

By Sarp Ozer

ANKARA (AA) – At least 18 Daesh terrorists were killed in northern Syria in an operation carried out by Turkish military and the U.S.-led coalition Wednesday, military sources told Anadolu Agency Thursday.

The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media, said artillery and airstrikes targeted Daesh sites after the Turkish military detected signs of imminent attacks against Turkey.

Turkish military and the U.S.-led coalition now control eight villages along the road linking Marea town to Azaz area in northern Syria, the sources added.

Several weapons, including howitzers and multiple-rocket launchers belonging to Daesh were also destroyed during the operation, which came after Syrian opposition forces broke a siege imposed by the PYD and Daesh terrorist groups on the town of Marea in Aleppo’s northern countryside Wednesday.

In May, Daesh militants had captured three villages, effectively cutting the opposition force’s supply route between Marea and Azaz.

Since mid-January, Daesh have been targeting towns and cities in southern Turkey with indiscriminate rocket fire, resulting in several civilian deaths and injuries.

Turkey considers the PYD and its military wing YPG as the Syrian affiliates of the terrorist PKK group.

*Anadolu Agency Correspondent Hatice Kesgin contributed to this report from Ankara.