Turkey expands ‘security corridor’ in Jarablus-Azaz region

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Turkish military and its Free Syrian Army (FSA) militia allies have seized another 680 square kilometers of territory on Syria’s northwestern border as part of an ongoing operation against Islamic State (ISIS) militants there, Turkey’s state-run agency said. 

A security source told Anadolu news on Tuesday that the two-week old campaign (named Operation Euphrates Shield by the Turkish military) has forced ISIS away from the border and cornered its forces – together with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) -- west of the Euphrates River. 

Tuesday’s advances come after Turkey announced it had completely pushed ISIS away from its border on Sunday using its armor, air and artillery fire power to support its allied FSA militiamen. Anadolu referred to the territory as a “security corridor.”

Anadolu said that on Monday another seven villages were seized by the FSA from ISIS. FSA fighters are reportedly as far as 24 kilometers south of the Turkish border. 

Since beginning its operation on August 24, Turkey has pushed ISIS from the border. Its FSA allies have clashed with the SDF, which Turkey also targeted with artillery and airstrikes. The US, which supports both the SDF and Turkey in its war against ISIS, has urged both sides to stop clashing and focus on the common enemy that is ISIS. 

Turkish military sources also said that ISIS is fortifying its positions in al-Bab – which lies halfway between Manbij and Aleppo -- as a last ditch effort to defend its remaining foothold in Syria’s northwest.

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