33 Daesh terrorists 'neutralized' in northern Syria

By Sarp Ozer

ANKARA

Thirty-three Daesh terrorists were “neutralized” in the last 24 hours as part of the Turkish-backed Operation Euphrates Shield in northern Syria, the military announced Sunday.

Turkish authorities use the word "neutralized" 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 marking 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 have been defused since the start of the operation last Aug. 24. 

The Turkish General Staff also said that Abu Khalid Urduni, Daesh’s so-called "governor" of the northern Syrian district of al-Bab, was killed Friday by a Turkish airstrike.

The military added that the death was confirmed by internal Daesh correspondence, as the terror organization’s main headquarters in Raqqa sent a letter to Urduni’s replacement.

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

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