Turkish strikes kill 20 IS in Syria: media

Turkish air strikes have killed 20 Islamic State militants in northern Syria, broadcaster CNN Turk cited the Turkish military as saying.

The strikes targeted three buildings, one vehicle and one motorbike around the Syrian town of Tel el-Hawa, CNN Turk said.

Separately, the head of the military said in message to mark a public holiday that “Operation Euphrates Shield”, a Turkish incursion into Syria against Islamic State and Kurdish militia fighters launched two and half weeks ago, would “continue decisively”, according to broadcaster NTV.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday reiterated his government’s commitment to eliminating IS in Syria and the threat the group poses to Turkey.

Erdogan said in a videotaped message marking the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha that Turkey has a “primary duty” to its people to destroy IS and prevent it from staging attacks in Turkey.

Turkey last month sent tanks across the Syrian border to help rebels retake Jarablus, a key IS-held border town, and to contain the expansion of a Syrian Kurdish militia.

Turkish jets have carried out several strikes against IS targets in Syria since the operation began. But clashes have also reportedly broken out between Turkish and Kurdish forces in the area.

Source