Turkish forces hit 78 Daesh targets in northern Syria

ANKARA (AA) - The Turkish Armed Forces hit at least 78 Daesh targets in northern Syria on Wednesday as part of the ongoing Operation Euphrates Shield.

In a statement, the Turkish Armed Forces said 68 Daesh targets had been hit with 252 Firtina (storm) howitzer fire and 80 rounds of multiple rocket launchers.

A total of 118 residential areas in nearly 1,000 square kilometers (386 square miles) of northern Syria have been cleared of Daesh since the beginning of the operation, the statement said.

To date, 1,943 targets have been destroyed by over 7,432 rounds fired by Turkish Firtina howitzers.

In addition, Turkish jets have destroyed 10 targets in an air operation in the Akhtarin and Kabtan regions, said the statement.

Moreover, three Daesh terrorists were killed in an air operation conducted by coalition forces in the northern Turkmen Bari region.

The statement added that the Turkish Armed Forces had taken all measures to protect civilians in the regions.

Turkey's Operation Euphrates Shield, which was launched on Aug. 24, is aimed at bolstering border security, supporting coalition forces, and eliminating the threat posed by terrorist organizations, especially Daesh.

The operation is in line with the country’s right to self-defense borne out of international treaties and a mandate given to Turkey’s armed forces by its parliament in 2014, which was extended for another year in September 2015.