By Levent Tok
ELBEYLI, Turkey
The Free Syrian Army (FSA), backed by the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK), is close to unite the Azaz-Jarabulus line after clearing the Daesh terrorist group from the area in northwestern Syria’s Aleppo province.
According to Anadolu Agency correspondent, around 12 kilometers (some 8 miles) left for the FSA to totally put its grip on the line near the Turkish border.
On August 24, TSK launched Operation Euphrates Shield aiming at improving security, supporting coalition forces, and eliminating the terror threat along Turkey’s border through FSA fighters backed by Turkish armor, artillery, and jets.
Backed by TSK, FSA currently controls the towns of Jarabulus and Cobanbey (El Rai in Arabic) near the Turkish border.
The Syrian opposition has advanced south of Jarabulus, some 24 kilometers from the Turkish border and reached Sajur River area located west of Euphrates River aiming at clearing the area’s villages from Daesh.
Areas south of Sajur River are under the control of the PYD/PKK terrorist group, the Syrian wing of PKK terrorist organization.
Meanwhile, the FSA continues to advance from Cobanbey west toward Azaz. The process gained haste as a group of TSK armored vehicles entered Cobanbey from Turkish Kilis province’s Elbeyli district Saturday.
FSA forces currently seek to reach Jarabulus by advancing east of Cobanbey against Daesh in a narrow line to complete the Azaz-Jarabulus line.
Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011 when the regime of Bashar al-Assad cracked down on pro-democracy protests.
