Turkey-Backed Rebels Seize IS-Held Border Town

Syrian rebel forces have taken back the Islamic State-held border town of Jarablus after Turkish troops crossed the border to assist them.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said opposition forces have taken over "government and official residences," and IS "has been forced to leave Jarablus".

Syrian rebels, "together with those who are from Jarablus, have now taken it back," he said.

Turkey earlier launched a military operation to free the Syrian town, with at least 20 tanks crossing into Syria in the early hours of Wednesday.

Sky sources inside Syria reported seeing vehicles and troops from the Turkey-backed Free Syrian Army heading for Jarablus.

By early afternoon, Turkish forces and Turkish-backed rebel fighters had captured four villages in northern Syria, including Kaklijeh, a village about two miles inside Syria and just west of Jarablus.

About 12 hours after the operation began, the fighters entered Jarablus from the south, according to Syrian rebel commander Ahmad Othman quoted by the AFP news agency.

The exact number of militants killed is unknown, but a Turkish news agency reported that at least 46 were known to have died.

Turkish tanks and fighter jets - supported by US-led coalition aircraft - fired on IS targets around Jarablus from early Wednesday onwards as part of an operation named Euphrates Shield.

In retaliation, mortar rounds were fired from Jarablus, hitting the Turkish town of Karkamis, which has been evacuated along with six other towns along the border.

Turkish counter-terrorism police also raided several homes in Istanbul, targeting IS members in the early hours of Wednesday and detaining several people.

:: Turkey's Operation In Syria Has Multiple Aims

Interior Minister Efkan Ala said Turkey "cannot sit and watch", adding that it was the country's "legal right, it is within its authority" to act.

But Syria's Foreign Ministry said on state TV that the actions were a "breach of sovereignty" and that Turkey could not fight terrorism by replacing IS with "other terrorist groups directly backed by Turkey".

Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the operation was to target IS and the Kurdish PYD in Syria, adding that Turkey wanted to put an end to "frequent attacks".

As well as the threat from IS, Turkey is also concerned about the growing influence of Kurdish groups in Syria's north.

It considers the PYD and its People's Protection Units (YPG) to be terrorists trying to carve out their own region, despite them also being an important part of the fight against IS.

Sky's Diplomatic Editor Dominic Waghorn said that one of Turkey's aims was to prevent the Kurds from controlling all of the border but the military operation complicates its relationship with the US.

He said: "(The Americans) have been supporting the (Syrian Democratic Forces) - Kurdish-dominated rebels - so effectively Turkey is attacking Islamic State but also American allies currently with coalition American air power support.

"It is an extremely confusing and complicated situation in what is a fiercely complicated and complex civil war."

Saleh Muslim, co-president of the PYD, tweeted after the military operation was confirmed that "Turkey is in Syrian quagmire, will be defeated as Daesh (will be)".

The operation came as Mr Erdogan met US Vice President Joe Biden to discuss international issues.

During a news conference afterwards, the Turkish leader reiterated his previous comments that Bashar al Assad should not have a role in a future Syria.

Mr Biden, meanwhile, said Washington supported the Turkish-led operation in Jarablus and that the US had provided air cover.

He added: "We strongly support what the Turkish military has done, we have been flying air cover for them. We believe very strongly that the Turkish border should be controlled by Turkey."

It is not known if Mr Biden discussed with Turkish leaders the request to extradite US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen, who Turkey has blamed for encouraging last month's coup attempt.