Syrian terrorists backed by Turkish forces are two kilometers (just over a mile) from the ISIL Takfiri group stronghold of Al-Bab as they press Ankara’s Operation Euphrates Shield, a monitor said Sunday.
The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Turkish forces were targeting the town with artillery fire and air strikes but it had no immediate word on casualties.
Al-Bab, about 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the Turkish border, has been a key target for Ankara and its Syrian militant allies since its campaign began on August 24.
“Opposition factions backed by Turkish troops are two kilometers north and northwest of the town of Al-Bab,” said Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the Britain-based Observatory.
“This progress is a continuation of the campaign that began with the capture of Jarablus and has seen the jihadists expelled from an area of 2,500 square kilometers along the border with Turkey,” Abdel Rahman said.
