Turkish Armed Forces Kill 23 Daesh Militants, Destroy 172 Targets in N.Syria

Turkish Armed Forces have eliminated 23 Daesh militants and destroyed 172 Daesh targets over the past 24 hours as part of the Euphrates Shield operation in northern Syria, local media reported Saturday, citing a statement by the Turkish military.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Turkish air forces eliminated 12 militants with another 11 being killed on the ground, the Anadolu news agency reported.

On August 24, the Turkish army launched Operation Euphrates Shield against militants of Daesh terrorist group, which is outlawed in Russia and many other countries. Turkish forces, with assistance from Syrian opposition fighters, occupied the city of Jarabulus in northern Syria and are currently conducting its offensive on the Daesh-held city of al-Bab.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that the aim of the operation is to clear the region of terrorists and make it a safety 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.