Coalition airstrikes neutralize 48 Daesh terrorists

ANKARA

The Turkish Armed Forces said 48 members of the Daesh terrorist organization were neutralized in airstrikes in Syria by the international coalition Saturday morning.

F-16 and A-10 coalition warplanes killed 44 Daesh members and injured numerous others in areas including Harjalah, Hawar Kilis, Delha, and Baragitah at 5.47 a.m. (0247GMT), 6.13 a.m., and 7.41 a.m. local time Saturday morning, the Turkish Armed Forces said on the same day.

In separate airstrikes in the Karakopru region by F-15 warplanes on Saturday, four Daesh members died at 11.45 local time, raising the total death toll to 48. Gun emplacements and accommodation areas belonging to Daesh were also destroyed.

According to information from national security sources speaking anonymously due to restrictions on talking with the media, the coalition airstrikes were in response to increasing Daesh attacks against Syrian opposition forces in the northern part of the war-torn country. The coalition airstrikes forced Daesh to retreat in the region, officials said.

Saturday’s airstrikes came the same week as Turkish artillery shelled targets in Syria in retaliation for Daesh cross-border rocket attacks on the southeastern city of Kilis.

Turkey has been under indiscriminate rocket attacks from neighboring Syria since mid-January. In the Kilis province alone, the local governor has confirmed that a total of 20 people have been killed and almost 70 others wounded by rockets which have fallen inside Turkish territory.