US: FSA gains in northern Syria ‘strategic’ in Daesh war

By Kasim Ileri

WASHINGTON - (AA) – Clearing Daesh along the Turkish border is “a very important strategic development in our overall campaign” to defeat the militant group, the Pentagon said Tuesday.

“We have talked about this for months, about how closing this gap [the area along Turkish border controlled by Daesh] that is very critical to be able to stop the flow of foreign fighters coming into Syria and onward to Iraq as well as ISIS being able to exploit that border there to be able to export terrorism out of Syria,” agency spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis said.

The Turkish Armed Forces launched Operation Euphrates Shield on Aug. 24 to support Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters to clear Daesh from the 98-kilometer (60-mile) strip of territory along the southern Turkish border.

In less than two weeks the FSA supported by Turkish tanks, air cover and artillery cleared Daesh elements from Jarabulus to Cobanbey and Azaz forming a security belt extending 3 - 5 kilometers inside Syrian territory.

According to Turkish military sources, the FSA fighters have liberated an area that is nearly 600 square kilometers (370 square miles) from PYD/PKK and Daesh terrorists.

Although Davis stopped short of saying the flow of foreign fighters through Turkish border would be completely stopped, he noted the importance the blow Operation Euphrates Shield dealt to Daesh’s ability to get fighters in and out of Syria using the Turkish border.

Davis also said all PKK/PYD elements in northern Syria crossed the Euphrates River back to the east to plan another phase of the campaign with American Special Forces against Daesh.

“We are there with them east of the Teshrin Dam talking to them right now making plan for the next part of the campaign,” he added.