Turkish Troops Kill 34 Daesh Militants, Destroy 17 Targets in Northern Syria

The Turkish Armed Forces eliminated 34 Daesh militants over the past 24 hours as part of the Euphrates Shield operation in northern Syria, local Anadolu news agency reported Sunday, citing a statement by the Turkish military.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — All 34 militants were killed in ground clashes, Anadolu reported, adding that and 17 Daesh targets were destroyed.

The militants were eliminated as the part of the offensive to liberate the Daesh-held city of al-Bab.

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