ANKARA (Sputnik) — According to CNN Turk broadcaster, about 200 service personnel from armored forces and 150 special forces troops are involved in the operation. At least 13 Turkish F-16 fighters, two rescue aircraft, one tanker aircraft and a plane equipped with airborne warning and control systems (AWACS) are providing air support to the Turkish military.
According to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the operation in Jarabulus is aimed at neutralizing the threats posed by both Daesh and Kurdish militants in Syria, which Ankara considers to be linked to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which is classified as a terrorists organization in Turkey.
Earlier in the day, Turkish Defense Minister Fikri Isik said that the troops would continue their military operation in northern Syria until the Free Syrian Army regained control of the town. The Syrian Kurds and Damascus accused Ankara of violating the territorial integrity of the Arab republic.
