Turkish soldier killed in car bomb attack near Syria’s al-Bab

ANKARA

REUTERS photo

One Turkish soldier was killed and five others were wounded on Dec. 19 in a car bomb attack in the al-Bab region in Syria during the Euphrates Shield Operation, the Turkish Armed Forces has announced.

The military also stated that Turkish warplanes destroyed a total of 52 targets belonging to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) jihadist group in the al-Bab region during day 118 of the operation.

Eleven ISIL militants were also “neutralized” during clashes while four Ankara-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters were wounded, according to the military.

Turkish authorities often use the word “neutralized” to imply militants who have been captured or killed. 
The military also stated that a total of 156 ISIL targets were destroyed.

On Aug. 24, the Turkish Armed Forces launched the Euphrates Shield Operation against both ISIL and the Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), the military wing of the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD).

Turkey regards the YPG and the PYD as terrorist organizations due to their links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).