Turkish jets 'neutralize' 26 Daesh terrorists in Syria

By Sinan Uslu

ANKARA (AA) - A total of 26 Daesh terrorists, including planners for the group, were “neutralized” in the northern Syrian city of Al-Bab and Daglabash during the ongoing Turkish-led Operation Euphrates Shield, according to the Turkish military.

The Turkish Armed Forces said on Friday that 17 Daesh targets, including 13 defensive positions and weapon pits, an armed vehicle, and three garages used to prepare bomb vehicles, were destroyed as part of air operations.

Turkish authorities often use the word "neutralized" in their statements to imply that the terrorist in question was either killed or captured.

Also Free Syrian Army soldiers hit 222 Daesh targets during the operations, and defensive positions, shelters, command and control centers, weapons, and cars were annihilated.

On Thursday one Turkish Armed Forces soldier was martyred and five were wounded in a Daesh attack in the village of Al-Azraq, in the Aleppo province.

Russia federation warplanes conducted three air operations on Daesh targets in southern Al-Bab on Thursday.

The Turkish army is supporting FSA fighters in liberating Al-Bab, a strategic city for Daesh, from the terrorist group. Friday marks the 129th day since the city was surrounded in order to liberate it.

The operation is part of the Turkish-led Operation Euphrates Shield, which began in late August to improve security, support coalition forces, and eliminate the terror threat along Turkey’s border using Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters backed by Turkish artillery and jets.

Since the launch of Operation Euphrates Shield, 1,294 Daesh and 306 PKK/PYD terrorists have been “neutralized.”

Turkish explosive ordnance disposal teams have neutralized 2,423 handmade explosives and 42 mines in areas cleared of Daesh since the beginning of Operation Euphrates Shield.