"The Turkish Armed Forces and the International Coalition Air Forces have launched a military operation aimed at clearing the district of Jarablus of the province of Aleppo from the terrorist organization Daesh," it added, AFP reports.

Residents of Turkey's Karkamis evacuated their homes on Tuesday (August 23) after two mortar shells fired from Syria hit the border town, Turkish broadcaster NTV said, citing a statement from mayor's office.

Turkish military returned fire at Islamic State targets in northern Syria early on Tuesday, after mortar shells landed on the town.

The military fired 40 shells at four ISIS targets in Syria, NTV said.

The two mortar shells, which hit the town of Karkamis but did not cause casualties, were apparently fired during clashes between Syrian rebels and Islamic State militants in northern Syria, state-run Anadolu Agency said.

Karkamis neighbours the Syrian town of Jarablus, which Turkish-backed Syrian rebels are preparing to attack and seize from Islamic State, according to a senior rebel official -- a move that would frustrate Kurdish hopes to expand there.

FSA Sultan Murad Divison will be taking part in the Jarabulus operation as well.

FSA Sultan Murad Divison will be taking part in the #Jarabulus operation as well. Nice standardized uniforms.

The mortar shells hit the garden of a property linked to a mosque in Karkamis after striking power lines, Anadolu said.

Security forces subsequently sealed off the area and warned people over loudspeaker to stay at home.

On Monday (August 22), Turkey's military launched howitzer attacks on Islamic State while artillery pounded Kurdish YPG militants in Syria, whom Ankara sees as an extension of its own Kurdish insurgency.

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