MOSCOW(Sputnik) — Daesh jihadists have started to leave their positions in the northern Syrian town of al-Bab, media reported Saturday, citing military sources.
"Given the latest information from the region, Daesh is preparing to leave al-Bab, as a result of the operation of the Turkish military forces," the source said, as quoted by the Hurriyet newspaper.
The source added that on the basis of the intelligence they received, Daesh transferred its control centers to Tadif, located to the south from al-Bab, according to the newspaper.
On August 24, the Turkish army launched Operation Euphrates Shield against militants of the Daesh group, which is outlawed in Russia and many other countries. Turkish forces, with assistance from Syrian opposition fighters, occupied the city of Jarablus in northern Syria and are currently conducting its offensive on al-Bab. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the aim of the operation is to clear the region of terrorists and make it a safety zone for refugees.
The operation has been widely criticized both by the Syrian Kurds and Damascus, who have accused Ankara of violating Syria's territorial integrity.
