Turkish army reinforces troops in Syria with more tanks

By Ensar Ozdemir

GAZIANTEP, Turkey

Turkish army reinforced its troops in Syria with additional tanks and armored vehicles Thursday, according to a military source.

A large number of Turkish tanks were also amassed along the Turkey-Syria border, the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media, said.

Improvised explosive devices planted by Daesh terrorist organization were also defused by the Turkish army, the source said.

Operation Euphrates Shield, which was launched Aug. 24, aims at improving security, supporting coalition forces and eliminating the terror threat along Turkey’s border through Free Syrian Army fighters backed by Turkish armor, artillery and jets.

The operation is in line with the country’s right to self-defense borne out of international treaties and a mandate given to the country’s armed forces by the Turkish parliament in 2014 and extended for another year in September 2015.

Operations by the Turkish Armed Forces, which have been actively fighting Daesh, have significantly contributed to ongoing efforts of the U.S.-backed international coalition against the terror group.