63 killed as Turkey hits ISIS in Syria
The Turkish army typically responds to fire from Syria in line with its rules of engagement.
Istanbul: The Turkish military has reportedly hit Islamic State positions in Syria with artillery and drone attacks, killing 63 militants. The state-owned Anadolu Agency said on Monday the strikes took out multiple rocket launchers and gun positions. Four drones deployed from the Incirlik air base in southern Turkey took part in the operation and killed 29 militants. The remaining 34 IS fighters were “neutralised” by rockets and shelling from Turkey, according to the agency.
The offensive started on Sunday when four rockets fired from Syria hit the Turkish border town of Kilis and wounded eight people. The wider province of Kilis borders territory contested by IS militants, anti-government Syrian rebels and Kurdish factions. The Turkish army typically responds to fire from Syria in line with its rules of engagement.
In the past year, Turkey has also witnessed suicide bombings linked to the IS as well as attacks linked to Kurdish militants. The latest came on Sunday, when a car bomb detonated outside a police station in the southern city of Gaziantep, near Syria.