Turkish military 'neutralizes' 23 Daesh terrorists

By Ilkay Guder

ANKARA

A total of 23 Daesh terrorists, including planners for the group, were “neutralized” in the Syria's north during the ongoing Turkish-led Operation Euphrates Shield, according to the Turkish military.

The Turkish Armed Forces said on Saturday that Turkish jets destroyed 12 Daesh targets in al-Bab, Kabr al-Mukri, Bzagah, Tadif and abu-Jabbar along with 12 Daesh terrorists.

Other 11 terrorists were neutralized in ground clashes, the military said.

The operation focused on capturing al-Bab district of Syria, with intensified land and air attack, the statement said.

The statement added that on Saturday, a total of 172 Daesh positions had been targeted and besieged.

Again on Saturday, Turkish soldiers found the bodies of four Daesh terrorists while 4 hand-held radios, 3 Kalashnikovs (AK-47), a bixie machine gun, an RPG-7 and an armed vehicle were captured.

Turkish authorities often use the word "neutralized" in their statements to imply that the terrorist in question was either killed or captured.

Since the launch of Operation Euphrates Shield, around 1,300 Daesh and 306 PKK/PYD terrorists have been “neutralized.”

Turkish explosive ordnance disposal teams have neutralized 2,556 handmade explosives and 42 mines in areas cleared of Daesh since the beginning of Operation Euphrates Shield.