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Turkish military retaliates rockets fired by IS from Syria

Xinhua, May 4, 2016 Adjust font size:

Turkish military fired retaliatory shells to the Islamic State (IS)-controlled area in northern Syria as four rocket projectiles fired from neighboring country hit Turkey's southern border province of Kilis on Tuesday, Turkish Armed Forces said in a written statement.

Rockets fell into an empty field near a military unit but caused no casualties, said the statement.

A total of 13 IS members were killed in military operation and several rocket launchers and gun positions were destroyed.

Earlier in the day, two other Katyusha rockets fired from the IS-ruled territory hit Kilis province and wounded one. Turkish military has been firing retaliatory shells since late Monday as similar incident killed one and wounded two in the border province on the same day.

In recent weeks, Kilis has been repeatedly hit by rocket fire from territories in Syria in the hands of the IS militants.

Across the Turkish border near Kilis, the IS and Syrian opposition have been fighting to expand their control over the region between the towns of Azaz and al-Rai since early April.

While Ankara said it is battling the IS as part of a U.S.-led coalition, the extremist group also orchestrated a number of suicide bombings in Turkey's capital and Istanbul provinces, leaving hundreds killed. Endit