Al-Bab

Control of an emptied road that separates the Ankara-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) from the forces of the Syrian regime in the south of Syria's al-Bab has been given to Turkish and Russian commanders on either side, with the aim of avoiding any confrontation, sources told daily Hürriyet.

Turkish troops and Turkey-backed Syrian rebels are conducting a cleaning up operation against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in al-Bab, which Turkey has been trying to liberate since December 2016 as part of its ongoing Euphrates Shield Operation, officials have said.

Turkish troops will not remain in Syria once the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) is defeated and they will leave the lands to their "true owners," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said, while vowing to advance the ongoing Euphrates Shield operation to Raqqa after al-Bab.

Turkish troops will not remain in Syria once the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) is defeated and they will leave the lands to their "true owners," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said, while vowing to advance the ongoing Euphrates Shield operation to Raqqa after al-Bab.

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) head Devlet Bahçeli on Feb. 12 slammed a Russian statement on the "friendly fire" in Syria's al-Bab on Feb. 10 that led to the deaths of three Turkish soldiers, describing it as a "shame."

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım agreed over the phone on Feb. 9 to increase cooperation between the two countries, according to a prime ministry source.        

During the call, Pence described Turkish-U.S. relations as entering a "new day," the source said.        

A Russian warplane accidentally hit a building housing Turkish Armed Forces units during air operations against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) targets in Syria's al-Bab on Feb. 9, killing three soldiers and wounding another 11, the Turkish Armed Forces has announced.

At least 21 Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militants were "neutralized" in northern Syria in the last 24 hours as part of the ongoing Euphrates Shield operation, according to a Turkish General Staff statement released early on Feb. 7.      

A total of 47 Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militants were "neutralized" in the last 24 hours as part of the Euphrates Shield operation in northern Syria, the military announced on Feb. 3.      

Turkish authorities use the word "neutralized" to refer to militants who are killed, wounded or otherwise incapacitated.      

As the first day of the Astana negotiations is over it seems that the overall outcome may be positive. The three sides, Russia, Turkey and Iran seem to have reached an agreement on a final common announcement about a mechanism that will supervise the ceasefire.