Did Türkiye Fight DAESH on the Ground? The Euphrates Shield Record Checked Against Sources

Why It Matters

Yes, Türkiye put conventional ground forces into Syria to fight DAESH (the Arabic acronym for the group also called ISIS or ISIL). It did so in Operation Euphrates Shield, from 24 August 2016 to 29 March 2017, and the al-Bab battle was its centrepiece. The wider claim that Türkiye is the only NATO ally to fight DAESH on the ground is Ankara's framing. It holds in a narrow sense and needs qualification in a broader one.

This article separates what is documented (dates, locations, the sequence of events) from what is attributed (casualty and prevention figures given by Turkish authorities) and from what is contested (the relationship with the US-backed SDF and the purpose of the operation). The Desk's sourcing method is set out in Editorial Principles: How the Desk Sources, Verifies and Attributes.

Background

Why DAESH became a Turkish security problem

DAESH took Raqqa in 2014 and Mosul in June 2014, and held long stretches of Türkiye's roughly 1,300 km (about 810 miles) southern border region on the Syrian side. Türkiye suffered a series of DAESH-linked attacks inside its territory between 2015 and early 2017. These included the Suruç bombing (July 2015), the Ankara station bombing (10 October 2015), the Atatürk Airport attack (June 2016) and the Reina nightclub attack in Istanbul (1 January 2017). DAESH also fired rockets at the border town of Kilis.

Türkiye joined the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, formed in 2014, and from July 2015 allowed coalition aircraft to operate from Incirlik air base. Western governments, for their part, criticised Türkiye in 2014–2015 for border controls that let foreign fighters transit. Ankara responded by expanding its entry-ban lists and deportation procedures. Türkiye also cites the scale of its border-security effort, including the 100,000 figure discussed below.

Operation Euphrates Shield: key dates

Turkish official statements describe the cleared zone as roughly 2,000 square kilometres (about 770 square miles). This figure comes from Turkish sources and has not been audited independently.

The al-Bab campaign

Al-Bab, about 40 km (25 miles) from the Turkish border, was a major DAESH-held urban centre. It was also a strategic objective for other forces, including the SDF and the Syrian government. The assault was prolonged and costly, involving urban fighting, improvised explosive devices and tunnels. Turkish forces used armor, artillery, special forces and air power. Turkish forces and their Syrian partners also took casualties, in part from friendly fire, including incidents involving Russian and Syrian government aircraft. Monitoring groups reported civilian casualties in and around al-Bab. Ankara says it applied maximum precision to protect civilians.

The legal basis cited by Ankara for the operation is Article 51 of the UN Charter (the right of self-defense), which Türkiye invoked in notifications to the UN Security Council on DAESH. The Council has itself characterized DAESH as a threat to international peace and security, for example in resolutions 2170 and 2178 (both 2014). For the wider legal debate, see Is Cross-Border Self-Defense Lawful? Article 51 and the 'Unwilling or Unable' Test Applied to Türkiye.

The Figures and How Each Is Attributed

Two figures are central to the Turkish case. Neither should be presented as an independently verified fact.

The Desk's rule is to give the number, name the institution that issued it, and say what is not known. Outside observers broadly accept that Turkish forces fought DAESH at Jarablus, Dabiq and al-Bab. The cumulative tallies, however, remain official Turkish data, and they cover different periods and activities. Readers citing them should say 'according to Turkish authorities'.

Key Players & Positions

• Türkiye (MSB, Presidency, Foreign Ministry): Euphrates Shield was a counter-terrorism operation against both DAESH and the PKK/KCK-linked PYD/YPG, aimed at denying both a presence along the border. The PKK is designated a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the United States, NATO and the European Union.
• United States and the Global Coalition (CJTF-OIR): Washington's priority was defeating DAESH, and it chose the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), led by the YPG, as its principal ground partner from October 2015. US officials have said they distinguish the SDF from the PKK and have described the SDF as an effective counter-DAESH partner, while acknowledging Turkish concerns and the PKK's terrorist designation. Washington provided limited coalition air support to the Turkish-backed advance at certain points, with support at al-Bab more constrained.
• SDF and YPG: They reject the PKK label for the YPG and say they bore the main burden of the fight against DAESH in Raqqa and eastern Syria, culminating in the fall of Raqqa (October 2017) and Baghouz (March 2019).
• Russia: It coordinated deconfliction with Türkiye in 2016–2017 as the Astana process began, and it is also a combatant in Syria on the government's side.
• Syrian government: It condemned the incursion as a violation of Syrian sovereignty and territorial integrity.
• Syrian opposition groups: Turkish-backed Syrian armed opposition groups provided most of the infantry on the ground alongside Turkish units, a point that matters when assessing who fought where.

Where assessments differ

Three points of disagreement recur. First, purpose: Ankara describes a dual-purpose operation against DAESH and the YPG, while some analysts say preventing Kurdish-held cantons from linking up was an equal or leading aim. Second, effect on the wider campaign: US officials emphasized the SDF as the more effective force against DAESH, while Ankara argues the SDF's own record does not outweigh its PKK links. Third, the 'only NATO ally' claim, taken up below.

Is Türkiye the 'only NATO ally' in ground combat with DAESH?

The claim needs qualification. US, French and British special forces operated in Syria and Iraq in training, advisory and, at times, direct-action roles. Other allies flew combat missions or trained local forces. What was distinctive about Türkiye was a conventional force, with tanks, artillery and sustained urban fighting, deployed unilaterally in Syria against DAESH for several months. A precise formulation would be: Türkiye was the only NATO member to conduct a sustained, conventional ground campaign against DAESH in Syria. A looser version, implying no other ally had personnel in combat, overstates the case.

Source Comparison

For a broader set of corrections and contested claims, see the sister fact-check pages at Regions & Powers and Regional Order.

Key Terms & Related Guides

• DAESH: The Arabic-language acronym for the Islamic State group (ISIS/ISIL), the name preferred by Türkiye and several other governments.
• Euphrates Shield (Fırat Kalkanı): Türkiye's military operation in northern Syria, 24 August 2016 to 29 March 2017.
• Neutralized: A Turkish military term that generally aggregates killed, wounded and captured; it is not the same as 'killed'.
• SDF and YPG: The Syrian Democratic Forces, a US-backed coalition led by the YPG. Ankara regards the YPG as the Syrian branch of the PKK; Washington and the SDF reject that equation.
• Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS: A multinational partnership formed in 2014 with dozens of members, of which Türkiye is one.
• Article 51: The UN Charter provision recognizing a state's inherent right of self-defense against armed attack, subject to reporting to the Security Council.

Related guides: Reader FAQ: Sources, Method and Perspective at International Relations Desk, Is Cross-Border Self-Defense Lawful?, Türkiye's 80 Percent Domestic Defense Rate and About International Relations Desk.

This article reflects International Relations Desk's editorial perspective, which presents Türkiye's official positions and legal arguments alongside the relevant context. Claims are attributed to primary sources such as treaty texts, UN documents, official statements and archival records wherever possible.