One Turkish soldier, 69 ISIL militants killed in Syria’s al-Bab over weekend: Military

ANKARA

One Turkish soldier and 69 Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militants were killed over the weekend in clashes in Syria’s al-Bab, while a total of 365 targets were hit as part of Turkey’s ongoing Euphrates Shield Operation.

One sergeant, who was part of the Turkish forces aiming to capture al-Bab from ISIL along with the Ankara-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA), died in an ISIL attack on Jan. 7, a Turkish army statement said on Jan. 7. 
It added that Turkish jets killed 37 ISIL militants, including three high-level managers, in airstrikes that struck 35 targets. 

On Jan. 8, the military issued another statement, saying at least 32 ISIL militants were killed in northern Syria. 
Also, 292 ISIL targets, including ISIL’s shelters, headquarters, defense positions and vehicles were hit by FSA fighters with Turkish army’s support over the weekend, the statement said.
       
The Turkish Air Force also hit 38 ISIL targets in Syria’s al-Bab, Suflaniyyah, Bzagah, and Kabr al-Mukri regions, including control points, shelters, headquarters and vehicles used by terrorists, the statement added. 

Turkey launched its Euphrates Shield Operation on Aug. 24, 2016 in order to clear its border of terrorist organizations, including ISIL and the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) forces. 

The sergeant’s death came one day after another Turkish soldier, who had previously been wounded in northern Syria as part of the ongoing campaign, succumbed to his injuries.

The statement also said 2,817 improvised explosives had been defused since the start of the operation.