Turkey shells ISIL positions in Syria

ANKARA – Doğan News Agency

REUTERS photo

Turkish armed forces shelled positions of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Syria on Feb. 29, while a fragile ceasefire inside Syria continued into its third day.Turkish artillery, located in the southern border province of Kilis, targeted ISIL positions north of Syria’s Aleppo province on Feb. 29, coordinating with the U.S.-led anti-ISIL coalition.Between 50 and 60 artillery shells were fired from Kilis between 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. on Feb. 29.The Turkish shelling came on the third day of a fragile ceasefire deal that was reached jointly by the United States and Russia.The deal, which is less binding than a formal ceasefire and which was not directly signed by the Bashar al-Assad regime or rebel forces, does not cover action against militants from ISIL or the al-Nusra Front, an al-Qaeda affiliate. Russia and Syria have said they would continue to target the two groups and also other “terrorist organizations.”U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon said on Feb. 29 that there had been some incidents but the ceasefire was generally holding.The United States and its allies conducted 24 strikes against ISIL in Syria and Iraq on Feb. 28, the coalition leading the operations said in a statement released on Feb. 29, according to Reuters.Twelve strikes in five Syrian cities destroyed 10 buildings, four fighting positions and a fuel tanker, among other targets, the Combined Joint Task Force statement said.In Iraq, 12 strikes in seven cities hit a rocket fire position and destroyed staging areas as well as a tunnel system, the statement added.