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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/24/turkey-launches-major-operation-against-isis-in-key-border-town
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| Turkey launches major operation against Isis in key border town | Turkey launches major operation against Isis in key border town |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Turkey’s army, backed by international coalition airstrikes, has launched a major operation involving fighter jets and elite ground troops to drive Islamic State out of a key Syrian border town. | |
| The operation, the most ambitious launched by Turkey in the Syria conflict, is aimed at clearing jihadis from the town of Jarablus, which lies directly opposite the Turkish town of Karkamış, the prime minister’s office said. | |
| The operation began at about 4am local time (0100 GMT) with Turkish artillery pounding dozens of Isis targets around Jarablus. | |
| Turkish F-16 fighter jets and coalition war planes also hit targets inside Syria. Media said an unspecified number of elite Turkish special forces were already on the ground inside Syria. | Turkish F-16 fighter jets and coalition war planes also hit targets inside Syria. Media said an unspecified number of elite Turkish special forces were already on the ground inside Syria. |
| Tensions had flared across the Syria-Turkey border the previous day, following the launch of rockets from Jarablus, which landed inside Turkey with the Turkish army firing howitzer rounds in response. | |
| “The Turkish armed forces and the international coalition air forces have launched a military operation aimed at clearing the district of Jarablus of the province of Aleppo from the terrorist organisation Daesh,” the prime minister’s statement said, using an Arabic acronym for Isis. | “The Turkish armed forces and the international coalition air forces have launched a military operation aimed at clearing the district of Jarablus of the province of Aleppo from the terrorist organisation Daesh,” the prime minister’s statement said, using an Arabic acronym for Isis. |
| The operation also appeared aimed at pre-empting any assault on Jarablus by pro-Kurdish militias, who also oppose Isis but whom Turkey accuses of seeking to carve out a Kurdish region in northern Syria. | The operation also appeared aimed at pre-empting any assault on Jarablus by pro-Kurdish militias, who also oppose Isis but whom Turkey accuses of seeking to carve out a Kurdish region in northern Syria. |