(AhlulBayt News Agency) - “Almost all of al-Bab is under control now, and a sweep operation is ongoing," Fikri Isik told reporters in the Aegean coastal city of Izmir.
"When the operation is over, we will be able to say that Al-Bab has been completely cleared of Daesh (ISIS) elements."
An FSA commander said earlier Thursday that FSA fighters were clearing the town of landmines and booby traps planted in the area by Daesh terrorists.
"The center of Al-Bab is now under opposition control," FSA Commander Ahmed al-Shahabi told Anadolu Agency.
"We are advancing cautiously due to the many mines and explosives left behind," he said.
Turkish authorities first announced the capture of al-Bab last month. They have made similar claims at least twice since then.
The Turkish-led Operation Euphrates Shield aims to provide security, support U.S.-led coalition forces, and eliminate the terrorist presence along Syria’s northern border with Turkey.
Turkey launched its incursion into Syria in August 2016, sending tanks and warplanes across the border in what was condemned by Damascus as an act of aggression.
Ankara claimed its military campaign was aimed at pushing Daesh from Turkey's border with Syria and stopping the advance of Kurdish forces.
Turkey is one of the key countries in the Syria conflict, which has raged on since March 2011, allowing militants from around the world to freely enter the Arab nation and wreak havoc there.
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24 February 2017 - 12:23
News ID: 813793
The Free Syrian Army militants, backed by the Turkish military, has taken control of "almost all" of Syria’s strategic town of Al-Bab, Turkish defense minister confirmed Thursday.
