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Turkey has completed the operation “Shield of the Euphrates” in Syria, which began in August last year. As reported by Reuters, said Prime Minister Binali Yildirim. “Operation “shield of the Euphrates” was successful and completed. Any transaction after this will have a different name,” he said.
Yildirim admitted that the armed forces can be further involved in cross-border campaigns if necessary.
During the operation, Turkey took the border town Dzharablus on the Euphrates river, cleared from the militants of the “Islamic state” 100-kilometer section of the border, and then moved South to al-Baba.
Turkish troops are still stationed in some areas and along the border. The number of troops involved in the operation were not disclosed.
One of the goals of Turkey was to prevent the Kurdish militia YPG to cross the Euphrates to the West and to unite the three provinces with a predominantly Kurdish population. Ankara fears that the Syrian Kurds will allocate from Syria self-governing territory that could push the Kurdish minority in Turkey for separatism.
“Islamic state” in Russia included in the list of terrorist organizations, for participation in activities which provide for criminal liability.