According to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Turkey-backed rebels also took control of three villages close to the border on Saturday, two on the Jarabulus front and one on the new al-Rai front. If you would like to discuss another topic, look for a relevant article.
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On Saturday, Turkish tanks crossed the frontier from Kilis province and entered the Syrian town of al-Rai, starting a western leg in an operation to sweep militants from its border.
The incursion took place about 55km (34 miles) south-west of Jarablus, where Turkey last week launched its first major incursion into Syria since the conflict started. He spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk about the Turkish troops.
Turkish forces and their Syrian rebel allies began the August 24 offensive by seizing Jarablus, a Syrian frontier town, from Islamic State, before turning their sights on what the army said were YPG positions.
A source in the Failaq al-Sham rebel group said FSA factions had also captured the villages of Fursan, Lilawa, Kino and Najma just south of Arab Ezza.
Some 5,000 US and Turkish-backed Syrian rebels have crossed into northern Syria from Turkey to participate in the so-called Euphrates Shield operation, according to local journalist Adnan al-Hussein, who is embedded with the groups. Dogan says rockets have killed 21 Kilis residents and wounded scores since January.
The Turkish military responded to the rockets on Saturday with howitzers, striking two weapons depots and bunkers, and “destroying the locations and the Daesh terrorists there”, the state-run Anadolu news agency said, referring to IS by an Arabic acronym.
Turkey’s military says its right to self-defense as well as United Nations resolutions to combat the IS group justify its Syria incursions.
By supporting the rebels, mainly Arabs and Turkmen fighting under the loose banner of the Free Syrian Army, Turkey is hoping to push out Islamic State militants and check the advance of USA -backed Syrian Kurdish fighters.
Turkey disagrees with its ally’s support for the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, which it considers a terrorist group.
The pursuit of the Kurdish YPG militia has led to criticism by Washington, which regards the Kurds as one of the most effective forces in the battle against IS.
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Turkey has said Operation Euphrates Shield is aimed at bolstering border security, supporting coalition forces, and eliminating the threat posed by terror organizations, especially Daesh.
