Turkish military experts on Thursday cleared mines from the area of the Syrian town of Jarabulus captured from Takfiri insurgents last week, using controlled explosions that sent clouds of dust and smoke into the sky, an AFP photographer said.

Pro-Ankara Syrian militants, backed by Turkish aviation and tanks, took Jarabulus from ISIL terrorists in a lightning operation and now enjoy full control of the town.

The de-mining operation on the Syrian side of the border was easily visible from the Turkish border town of Karkamis, with the controlled explosions creating huge white-and-grey clouds of smoke and dust.

An AFP photographer on the border heard at least a dozen explosions and said that the de-mining work was continuing.

ISIL insurgents are believed to have left large quantities of mines and explosives around Jarabulus and operations to destroy them have been in progress since the capture of the town a week ago.

Artillery fire could also be heard on the other side of the border, AFP added.

Turkey says its offensive inside Syria, which began with the capture of Jarabulus, is aimed at ridding the border area not just of ISIL but also a Kurdish militia that Ankara regards as a terror group.

But Turkish strikes on the Kurdish People’s Protection Units militia (YPG) have worried the United States, which regards the group as an ally in the fight against ISIL.

Source: AFP