

KILIS, Turkey: Islamic State and PYD can be removed from Syria only with the support of Turkish soldiers, a Free Syrian Army (FSA) commander has said.

Taha Atrak, Aleppo division commander of FSA, said: "Turkey is the country which has really supported us so far."

"We just want to see Turkish soldiers with us [against the terrorist groups]," the commander told Anadolu Agency.

Referring to the Operation Euphrates Shield that began last month, Atrak said the fight against IS terror gained momentum with the operation.

Around 80 percent of the IS-held land was freed from the terrorist organization during the operation, he noted.

The Operation Euphrates Shield aimed at removing IS from the northern border region has seen Turkey back FSA forces on the ground with special forces, tanks, artillery and airpower.

On Monday FSA fighters took control of two residential areas from IS.

In a statement issued the same day, the Turkish General Staff said the Sandarah and Kardish areas, located in Syria's Al-Rai town, were taken as part of Operation Euphrates Shield.

A total area of 900 square kilometers (347 miles) had been cleansed of terrorists, the statement said, adding over 760 IS targets had been struck since the start of the operation on Aug. 24.

The FSA commander, stating that the U.S. fighter jets also targeted the IS positions in the region, said: "American soldiers offered support to us, but we rejected. We do not want them to support us on the ground; we find it unreliable as they also support PYD."

Atrak stressed that there was no place for any terrorist organizations "against Turkey" on Syria-Turkey border.

AA