Turkish Air Force Kills Dozens of Daesh Terrorists in North Syria Amid Al-Bab Op

The Turkish General Staff announced Thursday that 44 Daesh militants had been eliminated over the past 24 hours in northern Syria as part of the Operation Euphrates Shield.

ANKARA (Sputnik) — The Turkish artillery and tanks hit 187 targets. two mortar pits, two tunnels and two Daesh vehicles were destroyed in three air operations.

"During airstrikes our air forces eliminated 66 Daesh objects, including 62 buildings, headquarters, a tunnel controlled by the terrorists, as well as weapon-laden vehicles. As a result of air and land operations 44 Daesh militants were eliminated," the Turkish General Staff said in a statement obtained by Sputnik.

Turkey is currently conducting an operation in Syria dubbed Euphrates Shield. On August 24, Turkish forces, supported by Free Syrian Army rebels and US-led coalition aircraft, began a military operation dubbed the Euphrates Shield to clear the Syrian border town of Jarabulus and the surrounding area from Daesh terrorist group. As Jarabulus was retaken, the joint forces of Ankara, the coalition and Syrian rebels continued the operation to gain control over Al-Bab in the Aleppo province.

The Turkish military operation in Syria's Al-Bab has entered the final stage. Turkey's units entered central Al-Bab, the operation is being conducted in coordination with Russia to prevent clashes with Syrian government forces.

Al-Bab is one of Daesh’s last remaining strongholds near the Turkish border. Capturing the city is of strategic importance to Turkey in order to prevent the Syrian Kurds taking it and unifying their own territories.