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Turkey eliminates 326 terrorists in northern Iraq and Syria

Hulusi Akar refuted reports that the Turkish army had delivered a strike on a US observation center in northern Syria

ANKARA, November 25. /TASS/. The Turkish military has eliminated 326 terrorists during its air operations in Iraq and Syria, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar told reporters on Friday.

"At this time, as a result of air operation ‘Claw-Sword’, 326 terrorists have been eliminated. The operation to punish terrorists continues from the air with ground fire support," the top military official said.

He refuted reports that the Turkish army had delivered a strike on a US observation center in northern Syria. "Any strikes on allied forces or civilian facilities are out of the question," he stressed.

Overnight on November 20, Turkey embarked on its ‘Claw-Sword’ air operation in northern Iraq and Syria which involved over 50 aircraft and 20 drones with the on-the-ground artillery support. Ankara’s airstrikes hit deployment sites of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which is outlawed in Turkey, and its Syrian offshoot, the National Defense Forces.

Earlier this week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan unveiled plans to conduct a ground operation targeting several regions in Northern Syria simultaneously, namely, Tell Rifaat, Manbij and Ayn al-Arab (Kobani).