13 ISIL militants ‘neutralized’ in northern Syria: Turkish military

ANKARA

REUTERS photo

Thirteen Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militants were “neutralized” in northern Syria over the last 24 hours as part of the Euphrates Shield operation, the Turkish military said on Jan. 24. 

Turkish authorities use the word “neutralized” in their statements to imply the militants in question were either killed, captured or surrounded.  

The Turkish General Staff said in a statement that its armed forces also hit 107 ISIL positions in northern Syria on the 154th day of the operation. 

Turkish jets hit nine ISIL targets in the al-Bab region.   

Coalition forces conducted five airstrikes against ISIL targets in the Bzagah and Kabr al Murki regions, destroying an ammunition support vehicle, two mortars and a building. The air strikes came after British fighter jets under the anti-ISIL coalition conducted air raids on northern Syria on Jan. 18 for the first time in a long time. 

The Euphrates Shield operation began in late August to tighten border security, eliminate the terror threat along Turkey’s southern borders and support opposition forces in Syria. Turkey backs the Free Syrian Army with artillery and jets as part of the operation.