Turkish army kills 55 IS members in Syria: reports

Artillery units stationed near the border struck IS group targets near Aleppo last evening, destroying three missile launchers and three vehicles according to the state-run Anatolia news agency and the Dogan news service.

Istanbul, May 8: Turkish forces launched a salvo of artillery strikes on northern Syria that killed 55 members of the Islamic State group, Turkish news agencies reported on today. Artillery units stationed near the border struck IS group targets near Aleppo last evening, destroying three missile launchers and three vehicles according to the state-run Anatolia news agency and the Dogan news service.

The reports could not immediately be independently verified. Since the start of the year, the Turkish border town of Kilis has come under frequent attack from rockets fired across the border from Syria that have killed at least 21 people, prompting the army to respond with howitzer fire. Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said this week that Turkey is ready to send troops into Syria “if necessary”. Turkey has previously discussed a land invasion but ruled out intervening alone. (ALSO READ: Turkish artillery fire injures foreign journalist in Syria)

Turkey, which has been hit by attacks blamed on jihadists including two deadly suicide bombings in Istanbul that targeted foreign tourists, began to carry out air strikes against the IS group in Syria last summer. Ankara also allows US jets to use its air base in southern Turkey for air strikes on the extremist group in Syria.