Turkey’s military Chief of Staff declared over the weekend that his country’s incursion into northern Syria has achieved its goals following the seizure of the Syrian town of al-Bab. The Turkish military Chief told troops in a speech during a visit to the Turkish border provinces of Gaziantep and Kilis that the ‘Euphrates Shield’ operation, launched some six months ago, has been carried out with caution due to the unconventional nature of the conflict, and that the effort to create a buffer zone between the Turkish border and both Islamic State and Kurdish militia forces fighting in the war-torn country.
“An operation has been launched into al-Bab, which is mainly the center of the terrorist organization Daesh (Islamic State). This operation was carried out cautiously because it differed from a conventional operation. It was rather an asymmetrical operation that needed to be carried out in residential areas and included difficulties such as car bombs, suicide bombers and snipers. Thankfully, it was completed successfully.” / “With al-Bab under control, the targets planned at the start of the operation have been achieved. In the aftermath, support will be provided to normalize life and for the local people to quickly return to their homes,” said General Hulusi Akar, Turkish Military Chief of Staff.
Taking control of al-Bab, an Islamic State stronghold some 30 km, which is equal to some 20 miles, from the Turkish border, deepens Turkish influence in an area of Syria where it has effectively created a buffer zone and would allow the Ankara-backed forces to press on towards Raqqa, Islamic State’s de facto capital in Syria.