Turkish warplanes kill over 50 IS militants in Syrian towns near Turkey’s borders
Turkey has said its warplanes killed 51 Islamic State fighters in Syria in the space of 24 hours, Sky News said.
Buildings and vehicles were targeted in the airstrikes and 85 IS positions were destroyed in the areas of al Bab, Tadif, Kabbasin and Bzagah, it added.
The assaults, combined with ground attacks, are part of Operation Euphrates Shield – the push to expel jihadist forces from the Turkey-Syria border, according to Sky News.
The campaign, launched more than five months ago, was initially successful as IS was ousted from 22 villages and towns between Azaz and Jarabalus.
Turkish special forces, backed up by elements from the Free Syrian Army, established a 37-mile (60km) IS-free zone along the border between al Rai and Jarabalus.
But the battle to retake control of the town of al Bab, northeast of Aleppo and the last remaining IS stronghold in Aleppo province, is proving harder, added Sky News.
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