“The operation, which began on Wednesday at around 4am local time (01:00 GMT), is aimed at clearing the Turkish borders of terrorist groups, helping to enhance border security and supporting the territorial integrity of Syria,” the state-run Anadolu Agency quoted Turkish officials as saying.
The Turkish officials said the special forces are in Syrian territory to open a passage for Turkish ground forces for a larger-scale incursion into Jarabulus.
White and grey plumes of smoke rose from atop hills in northern Syria, Turkey’s CNN Turk television showed, in footage broadcast live from the Turkish town of Karkamis across the border from Jarablus. The boom of artillery fire was audible.
Turkey had vowed on Monday to “completely cleanse” ISIL fighters from its border region after a suicide bomber suspected of links to the group killed 54 people at a Kurdish wedding in southeastern city of Gaziantep.
Observers believe Turkey is more concerned about Kurdish forces inside Syria. The Kurdish population in the region has long been seeking to establish an independent country by potentially taking territory from Turkey, Syria, Iraq and even Iran.
