Erdogan says Turkish forces advanced into center of Syrian town of al-Bab

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Sunday that Turkish forces have entered the center of the northern Syrian town of al-Bab and the Islamic State (ISIL or Daesh, banned in Russia) jihadists started to flee the town, Sputnik reports.

"Our forces together with Free Syrian Army have entered al-Bab… Now Daesh militants are leaving al-Bab," Erdogan told reporters as quoted by the Haberturk newspaper.

Erdogan also stated that the ultimate goal of the Turkish military operation in northern Syria is to free the region, including Raqqa, the de facto capital of the Daesh, from terrorists.

"After al-Bab we will not stop. Al Bab was not our final goal. Our ultimate goal is to clear this region from Daesh. The main stronghold of Daesh is Raqqa. After clearing Raqqa, the region will be genuinely cleared from terrorists," Erdogan was quoted as saying by Turkish Haberturk newspaper.