Turkey 'neutralises' another 33 Daesh terrorists in northern Syria

A total of 33 Daesh terrorists were “neutralised” in the last 24 hours as part of Turkey-backed Operation Euphrates Shield in northern Syria, the military announced Sunday.

Turkish authorities use the word “neutralised” to refer to terrorists who are killed, wounded or captured.

The Turkish Armed Forces also hit 259 Daesh targets in northern Syria, the General Staff said in a statement to mark the operation’s 166th day.

Turkish jets destroyed 39 targets, including 32 buildings, three headquarters, an arsenal, two bomb-laden vehicles, and a tunnel entrance used by the terrorists in the Al-Bab and Bzagah regions. The statement also said 57 mines and 3,680 improvised explosives had been defused since the start of the operation on Aug. 24.

Operation Euphrates Shield began in late August 2016, to tighten border security, eliminate terror threats along Turkish border and support opposition forces in Syria. The Free Syrian Army (FSA) is backed by Turkish forces as part of the operation.

FSA fighters have been concentrating on taking the Daesh-held town of Al-Bab, 40 kilometers (25 miles) north east of Aleppo.