Turkish warplanes bomb IS strongholds N. Syria

ISTANBUL, Sept 24 (KUNA) -- Turkish warplanes raided strongholds of the so-called Islamic State (IS) on outskirts of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo as part of Ankara's month-old "Euphrates Shield" military operation.
The fighter jets, in three sorties, bombed the IS positions in the villages of Tal Attiah and Al-Athariah, hitting and demolishing four of them, the military said in a statement on Saturday.
The military aircraft flew back to base safely.
Ankara launched the "Euphrates Shield" operation a month ago, taking control of the key border town of Jarablus and nearby areas. It was launched after anti-Turkey Kurdish groups expanded their presence in northern Syria, drawing alarm from Ankara which fears establishment of a separatist Kurdish entity in the border region.
Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused the United States of America of delivering arms the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) and its political wing, the Democratic Union Party (PYD).
Ankara says these groups are affiliates of the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) which for decades has waged an insurgency in southeastern Turkey.
Erdogan, in his statement carried by the local media, said two US aircraft unloaded arms for these Kurdish militias in Kobane, northern Syria, three days ago. (end) ta.rk