Anti-ISIL fight heats up on Turkey-Syria border

U.S.-led coalition warplanes hit Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) targets in northern Syria near the Turkish border province of Kilis on April 14 after recent advances by the jihadist group and shelling from the region claimed lives on the Turkish side. 
Coalition warplanes targeted ISIL positions in the villages of Savran, Soran, Havar and Kefre in northern Syria at around 6:30 a.m. 

Rising smoke was visible from the Turkish side.

The Turkish military also shelled ISIL positions in the region after rocket projectiles landed in Kilis.

The tension has been high in the region, as rocket projectiles fired from Syria landed in Kilis for three consecutive days. A total of 12 people were wounded on April 11, while two people were killed and six were wounded on April 12. 

Katyusha rockets fired from Syria also fell into an empty field on April 13.

The shelling caused widespread panic and anger among Kilis locals, who demanded security measures from the governor's office. 

Turkish Defense Minister ?smet Y?lmaz, Chief of General Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar and National Intelligence Agency (M?T) head Hakan Fidan carried out inspections in Kilis on April 13. The minister said 362 ISIL militants had been killed in cross-border fire.

Security measures have been raised to their highest along the border.

In recent weeks, battles have been intensifying between ISIL and other rebel groups near the border strip, which both sides use to transport fighters and weapons.

ISIL seized a string of opposition-held villages in Aleppo province near the Turkish border, a monitoring group said April 14. 

"Fierce clashes are raging between rebels and ISIL after the jihadists secured an advance and...