US-Led Coalition, Turkish Forces Kill 104 ISIS Militants In Syria: Reports

In response to weeks of rocket attacks in the province of Kilis at its border with Syria, Turkey carried out an attack on militants of the so-called Islamic State group, also known as ISIS, Friday, using rocket launchers and artillery fire, Turkish media reported Saturday. Along with a separate air campaign by fighter planes of the U.S.-led coalition, the strikes killed a total of 104 ISIS militants inside Syria, the reports said, citing sources in Turkey’s military.

The unidentified sources said “the shelling and air campaigns also took out seven buildings and four rocket installations,” the pro-government Daily Sabah reported. The state-run Anadolu Agency cited unnamed military sources who said the terrorists were killed while they were preparing to fire rockets toward Turkey.

The town of Kilis, about 4 miles from the border with Syria, has been often struck by rockets in recent weeks. Its governor confirmed 20 deaths and about 70 injuries from rockets fired from Syria, where the region neighboring Kilis is controlled by ISIS. Five people were injured Friday when a rocket hit Kilis.

The claims made in Turkish media have not been independently verified by anyone else, and the Turkish military sources did not indicate how they were able to count the number of dead militants inside Syria.