© AP Photo/ Halit Onur Sandal
The Turkish military has launched strikes against the terrorist group Daesh, also known as IS/Islamic State, as well as the Kurdish YPG in northern Syria, according to NTV.
The howitzer shelling has struck Daesh targets near Jarablus and Kurdish YPG forces north of Manbij.Turkish officials say that the strikes are aimed at opening a corridor for an "operation."
Earlier on Monday, Ankara had vowed to "completely cleanse" militants from its border region in the wake of the suicide bombing attack that left over 54 people dead at a wedding over the weekend.
"Daesh should be completely cleansed from our borders and we are ready to do what it takes for that," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said during a news conference.
A senior rebel official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that Turkish-backed Syrian rebels were preparing to seize the border town of Jarablus from Daesh. Ahead of the shelling, roughly 10 Turkish tanks were seen moving toward the border gate near Jarablus.The suicide attack took place in the southeastern city of Gaziantep on Saturday, and the suspect is believed to have been between the ages of 12 and 14. The deadliest attack in Turkey this year, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said initial evidence points to Daesh.
Comment: Looks like Turkey is moving forward to clean out Daesh but also to
prevent Kurds from forming on the Syrian border.
Turkey is calling on Iran, Russia and the United States to open "a new chapter" in the Syrian settlement, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Monday.
"It is vitally important for Turkey, Iran, Russia and the United States to open a new chapter in Syria without marking time," Turkey's T24 quoted Yildirim as saying.
The Turkish prime minister also described as unacceptable the creation of a Kurdish state entity in northern Syria.
Meanwhile Turkey
sends MIT Deputy Chief to Damascus:
Al-Safir newspaper quoted informed sources as saying that one of Fidan's deputies arrived in Damascus on Sunday to meet with the high-ranking Syrian security officials on the latest developments in Northern Syria.
The daily said Turkish officials have repeatedly made similar efforts to reopen communication channels with Damascus in the past, adding that General Ismail Hakki Pekin, who served as the head of the Intelligence Department at Turkish Armed Forces General Staff, visited Syria on May 27
Comment: Looks like Turkey is moving forward to clean out Daesh but also to prevent Kurds from forming on the Syrian border. Meanwhile Turkey sends MIT Deputy Chief to Damascus: