Turkey’s Military Plunges Into Syria, Rebels to Capture ISIS Stronghold

[Luiz 4,253]

ISTANBUL — Turkey sent tanks, warplanes and special operations forces into northern Syria on Wednesday in its biggest plunge yet into the Syrian conflict, enabling Syrian rebels to capture an important Islamic State stronghold within hours.

The operation, assisted by American warplanes, is a significant escalation of Turkey’s role in the fight against the Islamic State, the militant extremist group ensconced in parts of Syria and Iraq that has increasingly been targeting Turkey.

By evening, Syrian rebel fighters declared that they had taken control of the Islamic State stronghold, the town of Jarabulus and its surroundings, which had been the militant group’s last major redoubt near the Turkish border. Turkish officials said one rebel fighter was killed but no Turkish troops died.

Numerous fighters posted photographs and videos of themselves online with the green, black and white flag adopted by the Syrian opposition as they walked through what appeared to be empty streets, passing buildings still flying the flag of the Islamic State, also known as ISIS, ISIL and Daesh.

At the White House, President Obama’s chief spokesman, Josh Earnest, called the Turkish assault “an indication of important progress” in the campaign against the Islamic State.

Earlier, Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. signaled support for the goals of the operation — clearing Islamic State militants from their remaining border stronghold and rolling back recent advances by Syrian Kurdish militias, which Turkey considers its primary enemy.

Mr. Biden had traveled to the Turkish capital, Ankara, on Wednesday to meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at a time of high tensions between the two countries after the failed coup in Turkey last month. But the timing of the joint offensive and some strong words of support from Mr. Biden seemed to show an easing of the strains.

Continue reading the main story : http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/25/world/middleeast/turkey-syria-isis.html

 

 

[PenelopesTaint 439]

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[SlayGagaloo 16,152]

8 minutes ago, PenelopesTaint said:

Maybe they'll release PI while theyre at it 

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[PenelopesTaint 439]

1 minute ago, SlayGagaloo said:

You must be fun at parties. 

I know, thank you 

[Economy 52,857]

3 hours ago, PenelopesTaint said:

Maybe they'll release PI while theyre at it 

Only a little monster would bring a Gaga single into a serious world matter  

[PenelopesTaint 439]

17 minutes ago, Economy said:

Only a little monster would bring a Gaga single into a serious world matter  

I didnt realize Inwas THAT type of little monster until this post, thank you but im not changing my ways