8 February 2017, 07:05 GMT
ANKARA (Sputnik) — On August 24, the Turkish army launched Operation Euphrates Shield against the internationally-condemned jihadist group Daesh. Turkish forces, with assistance from Syrian opposition fighters, occupied the city of Jarablus in northern Syria and are currently conducting an offensive on al-Bab.
"Our first goal is to complete the operation in al-Bab. Forces of the Free Syrian Army, supported by our armed forces, made significant progress. Russian and coalition aircraft also made their contribution. The second goal is the operation in Raqqa. We can send special forces there," Cavusoglu told reporters.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the aim of the operation is to clear the region of terrorists and make it a safe zone for refugees.
The operation has been widely criticized both by the Syrian Kurds and Damascus, who have accused Ankara of violating Syria's territorial integrity.
