Armored vehicles are seen during an inauguration ceremony for a crew of 440 police department members who began their duties after liberation of Jarabulus from Daesh terrorists within Operation Euphrates Shield in Aleppo, Syria on January 24, 2017. Kerem
ANKARA: A total of 51 Islamic State members were “neutralized” in the last 24 hours as part of Turkey-backed Operation Euphrates Shield in northern Syria, the military announced Saturday.
Turkish authorities use the word "neutralized" to refer to terrorists who are killed, wounded or captured.
Turkish General Staff said in a statement that four of the neutralized were also so-called "regional heads" of the ISterrorist group in the Al-Bab and Bzagah regions.
On the 165th day of the operation, international coalition forces conducted eight airstrikes on IS targets in Al-Bab and destroyed two defensive positions and two armed vehicles.
Turkish fighter jets also hit 65 IS targets and destroyed 56 buildings and three headquarters, the statement added.
The statement also said 55 mines and 3,656 improvised explosives had been defused since the start of the operation on Aug. 24.
Operation Euphrates Shield began in late August 2016, to tighten border security, eliminate terror threats along Turkish border and support opposition forces in Syria. The Free Syrian Army (FSA) is backed by Turkish forces as part of the operation.
FSA fighters have been concentrating on taking the IS-held town of Al-Bab, 40 kilometers (25 miles) northeast of Aleppo.
