World Bulletin / News Desk

At least 23 ISIL extremists were "neutralized" in northern Syria in the last 24 hours as part of the ongoing Operation Euphrates Shield, according to a Turkish General Staff statement released early Friday.

Turkish authorities often use the word "neutralized" in their statements to imply the extremist in question was either killed or captured.

Also, 154 ISIL targets, including the extrem group’s shelters, headquarters, defense positions and vehicles had been hit by Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters with Turkish Land Forces support, the statement said.

Turkish fighter jets also destroyed seven buildings used as hideout, three headquarters and an arms depot of the extremist group.

The Turkish army is supporting FSA fighters in liberating Al-Bab, a strategic city for ISIL, from the extremist group. Friday marks the 171th day since the city was surrounded in order to liberate it.

The Turkey-led Operation Euphrates Shield began in late August to improve security, support coalition forces, and eliminate the extrem threat along the Turkish border using FSA fighters backed by Turkish artillery and jets.