Coalition praises Turkish efforts against Daesh in Syria
Turkey-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters near al-Bab.


The chief of the U.S.-led anti-Daesh coalition on Monday praised Turkey's efforts against the terrorist group as the country has successfully denied it any access to an international border."Turkey has also successfully led operations to remove ISIL from the last 98-kilometer [60-mile] strip along its border, thereby denying ISIL for the first time, access to any outside international border," said Special Presidential Envoy to the anti-Daesh coalition Brett McGurk, at a plenary meeting with the members of the coalition. Operation Euphrates Shield, launched late August by Turkey, aims at improving security, supporting coalition forces and eliminating the terror threat along Turkey's borders using the Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters backed by Turkish armored vehicles, artillery and jets.11 Daesh terrorists killed in airstrikesTurkish airstrikes carried out on four shelters used by Daesh in western Aleppo, Syria, have killed 11 terrorists on Monday, military sources confirmed yesterday.In a statement it said the airstrikes targeted the Baratah, Dana and Zarzur regions as part of Turkey's Operation Euphrates Shield that began in late August to clear Syria's northern border area of terrorist presence. Meanwhile, Turkish Special Forces' Sgt. 1st Class Halit Topuz, who was wounded during a clash in northern Syria, died of his injures in Turkey's southeastern Gazitantep province Tuesday, the statement added.Four Daesh suspects arrestedFour Iraqi nationals were arrested in Turkey's Samsun province on Monday evening in an anti-Daesh operation.According to sources in Samsun's counterterror branch, Hammam Huma Khudur, Sermed Muhammed S, Ukab Nuri, and Rami Faris Mufdhi were arrested on charges of being members of the armed terrorist organization. Another four other Iraqi nationals, detained in the same operation were later released and put under judicial observation today confirmed the sources, speaking on conditions of anonymity.On Nov. 22, police from the Black Sea province had detained the eight Iraqi nationals.