Turkish army, FSA make gains against Daesh in N. Syria

By Adham Kako and Selen Temizer

ALEPPO, Syria (AA) - The Free Syrian Army and the Turkish armed forces have captured 24 residential areas from the Daesh terrorist group over the past 24 hours in Syria’s northern town of Al-Bab within the context of Operation Euphrates Shield, Turkish security sources said Friday.

The sources, who spoke with Anadolu Agency on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to media, said Turkish troops and FSA fighters had besieged the Daesh-held town and were now on the verge of decisively capturing it.

Its recent push on Al-Bab has brought the Turkish army some 35 kilometers (roughly 21.5 miles) inside Syrian territory.

The same sources said the FSA -- backed by Turkish troops -- had intercepted Syrian regime forces about six kilometers south of Al-Bab, adding that Turkish/FSA fighters now stood one kilometer west of the town center.

Turkey’s Operation Euphrates Shield was launched last summer with the aim of securing Turkey’s southern border, eliminating terrorist elements in northern Syria and supporting Syrian opposition forces.

One aspect of the operation involves providing the FSA with Turkish artillery support and air cover.

Since it began last August, more than 1,300 Daesh terrorists have reportedly been killed within the context of the operation.