Turkish artillery forces strike IS targets inside Syria

The Turkish artillery forces has hit the Islamic State (IS) positions in Syria, local broadcaster NTV reported on Monday.

Sixty artillery rounds were reportedly fired by the military on the IS targets to the north of Aleppo as part of the U.S.-led coalition's operation against the jihadist group, according to the report.

Five targets were destroyed by the shells launched from the military units located near the southern Kilis province, said the report.

Turkish air forces earlier participated in four airstrikes of the anti-IS coalition in Syria, while this is Turkish first artillery action with the allied forces.

Turkish air forces were absent from the recent airstrikes in order to avoid any confrontation with Russia because the two countries are at odds since Turkey shot down a Russian warplane on Nov. 24.

Russia has been carrying out airstrikes in Syria since Sept. 30 in a bid to support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government.

Turkey argues that the Russian airstrikes are not targeting the IS, but the moderate Syrian opposition.

The Syria-Turkey relations have hit the bottom since the beginning of the Syrian crisis in 2011.

Turkey blames Assad for prolonging the crisis, while Damascus accuses Ankara of facilitating the flow of foreign jihadists into Syria. Endit