*UPDATES WITH NEW TARGET NUMBERS, CORRECTS TIME OF START OF OPERATION
ANKARA (AA) – The Turkish Armed Forces hit 81 targets in northern Syria nearly 300 times with rockets, as part of anti-Daesh operations starting at 4.00 a.m. (0230 GMT) early Wednesday, military sources said.
According to the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media, the Turkish Air Forces directly hit the targets 294 times with precise accuracy.
The sources said that the operation, called Euphrates Shield, is aimed at clearing terrorist groups from the Turkish border region, tightening border security, and supporting Syria’s territorial integrity.
The Turkish Air Forces carried out an operation “on identified targets” with F-16 fighter jets in Jarabulus, Aleppo and the nearby village of Kaklijah, the sources added.
The operation is in line with the country’s right to self-defense borne out of international treaties and a mandate given to the Armed Forces by the Turkish parliament in 2014 and extended for another year in September 2015.
Operations by the Turkish Armed Forces, which have been actively fighting Daesh, have significantly contributed to ongoing efforts of the U.S.-backed international coalition against the terror group.
