Turkish army, US-led coalition kill 8 Daesh in Syria

By Ilkay Guder and Melda Altakhan

ANKARA (AA) - Eight Daesh terrorists were killed in northern Syria during an operation carried out by Turkish army and the U.S.-led coalition late Wednesday, the Turkish military announced Thursday.

According to a Turkish General Staff statement, artillery fire and air operations destroyed one tank, two mortar vehicles and three armored personnel carriers in northern Aleppo.

Since mid-January, Daesh rockets have been targeting towns and cities in southern Turkey, close to the Syrian border. A total of 21 people, including Syrians who had taken shelter in Turkey, were killed and more than 70 others wounded in such attacks.

Also, Turkish military conducted air operations in northern Iraq and destroyed five PKK targets and a shelter late Wednesday, according to the statement.

The PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and EU – resumed its 30-year armed campaign against the Turkish state in July 2015.

Since then, nearly 600 security personnel, including troops, police officers, and village guards, have been martyred, and more than 5,000 PKK terrorists killed in operations across Turkey and northern Iraq.

*Anadolu Agency Correspondent Satuk Bugra Kutlugun contributed to this story.